When everybody had arrived, I set out our homemade antipasto platter as we opened the Chianti. Grilled ciabatta accompanied our roasted BC Hothouse peppers, Quebecois bocconcini, Spanish olives and artichokes, and my own pickled local green beans and eggplant. Served with olive oil, reduced balsamic, and my homemade BC Hothouse marinara. The roasted organic garlic spread proved itself a shining star.
As crustini consumption casually came to a close, we began work on the first seated course. My homemade, organic crimini mushroom ravioli was laid on a bed of unbelievable organic cauliflower puree, and crowned with Parmesano Reggiano. Sauteed wax beans provided a bit of crunch, and organic chicken demi adds the ultimate in savory depth. Well-oaked yet crisp, my CedarCreek Reserve Chardonnay was very nice with this dish... I will definitely do this again.
One of my favorite dishes at the Fish House is the Pad Thai, but since I learned about the implications of supporting South Asian tiger prawn farming, I haven't been able to order it. Agro-colonial subjugation and ecological devastation are just too heavy a price to pay for cheap seafood. Fortunately, Safeway is now offering organic tiger prawns -- I'm sure they're still ethically flawed, but I will always support a step in the right direction. Thus, I offered my organic take on the Fish House Pad Thai. It was well received by my co-workers. Robin was very wise to pair this with Mt. Boucherie Ehrenfelser. Sweet and aromatic, balanced with plenty of citrus acidity... just like Thai food.
Finally, 'tis the season for blackberry pie. And like a good little ant, I'd spurned the grasshopper's summer tomfoolery and elected to pick about 20lbs of the succulent fruit from my neighborhood hedges. Served with homemade vanilla bean ice cream, I presented Mount Piesuvius.
Goodbye, my fishy friends. You will all be sorely missed... but always welcome over for dinner.
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