The Appetite Comes While You Are Eating – Ten Courses!

“Lappetito Vien Mangiando…”

The Appetite Comes While You Are Eating

Bring your appetite! The long awaited day for sharing details of our ten course rustic Italian dinner is finally here! I apologize in advance for the HUGE number of photos I’ll be sharing…but I believe these pictures ARE worth a thousand words. Especially on a night like this! 

Many of our sixteen guests came together as strangers, but they all shared one strong connection. A real love of food. And as I’ve said so many times…food is our universal connection. But four of our guests were added to the group in a different way.

Dinner…From The Heart

Jim and Peepaw and I have all lost parents to cancer, and several years ago I was introduced to The Bird House Hospice. It’s a beautiful home, nestled in the woods in Iowa City.  So as Jim and I began planning our event we decided to make this meal more than just a dinner for some of our foodie friends. That’s why we donated four of our sixteen seats to a fundraiser for that amazing nonprofit woodland oasis for those in need.

Jim and I broke down the evening into several separate venues within the event space. Now let me take you through the entire evening as it unfolded. 

Bring Your Appetite – And Let The Party Begin!

As our guests arrived they had an opportunity to view some of the amazing items in the Kalona Makers Market showroom. It was a wonderful spot to meet one another and to visit while marveling at the amazing artisan’s works that are showcased there.

The building is the home of Schlabaugh & Sons. Their handcrafted clocks and heirloom quality wooden items are shipped worldwide.

When all sixteen guests had arrived we welcomed them into the adjoining art room to whet their appetite with course number one. As they entered the room we invited them to pick up a menu from the basket. 

That menu was a road map for the rest of the evening. As you can see, the menu ended the evening stained with wine and still clutched tightly by our happy guests.

Meet John and Jane Schlabaugh, our hosts for the evening. We were so grateful for their generous gift of the venue for our event!

APERITIVO

Prosecco and an assortment of Olives, Cheeses and Nuts

These small bites and a glass of bubbly were enough to get those stomach juices flowing and to bring on an appetite for more.  It warmed our hearts to watch these foodie folks get to know each other over some nibbles.

I will admit…there was a method to our madness.  By arranging the first course in a separate room it allowed Jim and me to scurry away into the main room to make sure everything was ready for our future courses. The candles were glowing and the wines were waiting. All plates and serving bowls were arranged in order of the nine remaining courses. And the long, narrow table against the wall was ready and already laden with Course #2. We asked our guests to join us in the dining room and to help themselves and to select a seat at the table.

Now…about all that wine. No Italian dinner would be complete without some “fruit of the vine.” And that brings me to the second generous surprise donation of the evening.

A Surprise Donation

Two of our dinner guests were Warren and Paula Miller, owners of Tuscan Moon Grill on Fifth.  Their incredible restaurant in Kalona was recently listed in Wine Spectator Magazine as one of Iowa’s best wine venues.

When that wonderful couple discovered we had donated four seats to The Bird House hospice they generously donated ALL the wines served that evening!

Jim and I could hardly believe their generous gift.

How lucky we were to have our very own sommelier to pair our foods with their wines that evening! (Warren got a “sneak peek” at our menu the week before so he could select his wines to share with the other guests.) Warren and Paula even provided all of the beautiful wine glasses we used that night!

Mr. Miller’s pairings were spot on and amazing. It’s no wonder Wine Spectator Magazine has singled Tuscan Moon’s wine cellar as one of the best in the state!

ANTIPASTI

Smoked Salmon “Martini”, Charcuterie, and Bruschetta

Our second course was a “help yourself” course. It was gratifying to watch our guests sample everything on that table. My layered Smoked Salmon Martini was a hit. (Recipe later.)

And who can resist a charcuterie board filled with meat?

Jim created two delicious bruschetta options. (Both were divine!)

An Appetite For Pasta? Let Us Pray!

While our guests enjoyed their second course we were busy in the tiny galley kitchen…boiling huge pots of water on two hot plates. It was time to cook and serve the course that started our whole idea for the event. Course # 3. My fingers were crossed that my homemade pasta dish would taste as good as I hoped.

PRIMI

“Fioccheti di Pera” Pear Stuffed Pasta in a Gorganzola Cream Sauce

Topped With Toasted Hazelnuts

After those bowls were placed in front of our diners I hurried to the kitchen to hide and to cross my fingers and toes. Here’s hoping our diners would like that pasta dish! I had been dreaming about recreating that homemade pasta for almost two years! Just know I was literally afraid to walk into the dining room to see if folks were eating. I feared they might simply be pushing those little pasta purses around in that Gorganzola cream sauce.

When it was time to remove the pasta bowls I took a deep breath and headed out to the table. I was shocked and thrilled to see only ONE pasta purse uneaten…out of all sixteen bowls! Empty bowls! Whew!!! Our diner’s rave reviews warmed my heart. And THAT, Dear Readers, is what makes ANY kitchen my Happy Place! 

My pal Jim isn’t just an incredible cook and a dear friend, but he’s also an amazing party planner. He created a special playlist of music to entertain our guests while each diner satisfied his or her appetite. Here he is during the evening, making adjustments to the music to insure everything was perfect all night long.

Keep Those Courses Coming!

SECONDI

Grilled Italian Sausages – Pork, or Basil & Cracked Pepper Chicken

We kept our meat course simple. The day before we had simmered those sausages in beer and some “secret” seasonings in Jim’s nearby kitchen. (I only say secret since I can’t remember what we added to that beer bath!) Then he finished them on his grill.

We cooled the cooked sausages and stored them in Jim’s refrigerator overnight. Then we reheated them in slow cookers to make our life as simple as possible during dinner service. We combined that meat course with the next course…

CONTORNI

Sauteed Kale with White Beans, Roasted Butternut Squash

By this time each guest was learning to take small bites and to make sure their appetite could be stretched for the entire meal! (Many thanks to our guest Kasey for sending me so many of the photos I’m using in this post. She is a real pro with her smartphone camera!)

After those heavy meat and veggie courses it was time for a palate cleanser. And Jim provided a perfect salad to do just that.

It was about that point in the evening when guests began to stand up and walk around to visit. And to give their stomachs a slight reprieve!

INSALATA

Fennel and Orange Salad with a Citrus and Cider Vinaigrette

While researching our Italian dinner courses I was surprised to learn that the salad course is served AFTER the “main” meat and veggie courses. But as I began to think about it I decided that makes perfect sense! Cut through the fattiness of the meat and reawaken a dwindling appetite with a salad. Jim’s fennel and orange inspired creation was absolutely perfect! Now…what comes next? Inquiring minds wanted to know!

Here goes nothing!!

FORMAGGIE FRUTTA

Assortment of Fruits, Baked Ricotta with Parsley & Oil Cured Olives

I thought you might like to see what that cheese dish looks like before it is cut and served. This torta is a showstopper. I didn’t get a good photo of the one I made for our dinner. But I made this one the other day to serve at our annual potluck here at our Fort Lauderdale condo. 

That dish was well received on both occasions. I’ll share this recipe in a future blog post and I’ll give credit to the wonderful Fort Lauderdale blogger I follow who posted it on her site.

By now…everyone was struggling to scare up enough of an appetite to finish this marathon meal. But it is time for head to some sweet treats.

DOLCE

Tiramisu, Assorted Chocolates

I’m not a big dessert eater, although sometimes I make an exception for Key Lime Pie or Creme Brulee. And I’m always amazed that folks can say they are too stuffed to eat another bite…until the dessert appears. Let me tell you that was truly the case during this dinner. But one reason for that meltdown of willpower had to be the beautiful Tiramisu Jim whipped up for the occasion. And that Godiva chocolate was also well received. (For some folks, dessert just isn’t dessert without chocolate.)

Next? We’ve made it to Course #9! Wake UP! It’s time for some caffeine!!

CAFFE

Coffee or Tea, Biscotti

When it came to this course, I cheated. We didn’t make the biscotti from scratch, but we did go an extra step and we dipped them in chocolate. We added toasted slivered almonds to some of them and left others with just a chocolate coating.

And Finally…

DIGESTIVO

A Farewell Glass of Limoncello

By the time this TENTH Course rolled around I think our guests were hoping to be rolled to their cars for the drive home! But I was proud to end the evening with another homemade creation. My very own Limoncello.

I’ve written about the process of making this alcoholic beverage. You can find my recipe by clicking HERE. The drink is stored in the freezer and it’s served ice cold. It is the perfect ending to a large meal, and our guests enjoyed it…responsibly!

After that final course was served, Jim and I took a deep breath and relaxed with our guests.

We even got to share in a glass of the wine that was still on the table. Believe me when I say a glass of wine never tasted better than it did right then!

Let me take this opportunity to thank Peepaw for his HARD WORK that night!

Jim and I could NOT have pulled it off without his tremendous help. From bussing tables to doing dishes to filling water glasses…Peepaw was indispensable. (As always!)

From the first course to the last, it was truly a night to remember. It was an evening spent with great friends, both old and new. And cooking again with my BFF Foodie Friend Jim made it perfect.

Good food and great wine, served in a beautiful setting. Plus generous donations made to a very worthy cause close to the hearts of many who shared the evening with us.

Those memories will last a lifetime for both Jim and me.

And just think…that entire ten course dinner happened because of a little pasta purse stuffed with pear!