Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

Yesterday marked a social event I look forward to all year — the once-a-year tailgate organized by our friend Mark from New Jersey.† The food is fantastic; the wine and other beverages, plentiful; the company, better than either the food or the wine.† The weather this year was brisk, perfect in my opinion for a tailgate.† Who cares about the game?† Fewer than half the guests bother to attend it.

From memory, the food included:

Just Cured smoked and cured salmon (of course), wild boar patÈ, mushroom bisque, grits with chorizo gravy, sauteed shrimp, steamed mussels over linguine, Italian sausages over polenta, wild boar and white bean chili, pheasant roulade with pineapple and mushroom, seared scallops with foie gras butter, lamb racks cured, smoked and roasted, a platter of artisanal cheeses, fleur de sel caramel corn, and bananas Foster.† (For the record, the salmon, patÈ, bisque, pheasant and lamb were my dishes.† Most of the other dishes were by the top restaurant chefs in the city.)

I spent the morning and early afternoon with friends, colleagues and acquaintances I see every day, only occasionally and once a year.† As in past years, I also met interesting people I would enjoy getting to know better.

For all the fun and fellowship, one person didn’t attend this year and I missed her presence.† The self-proclaimed “Empress” of our group was AWOL.† The Empress moved out of town for work a number of years ago but has made a point to return for this annual party as well as several other events dear to her.† I am not even sure if anyone heard why she could not be with us.

Empress is a fitting title for our friend.† She has a way of making others do her bidding and making them feel good about it.† Her spur of the moment parties are the stuff of legend.† All they took were several phone calls along the lines of “[Location], in two hours, you are cooking [insert one of her favorites].† Several times yesterday, I was sure I heard her order “Honey! It is time for the [insert next dish.]” or “I need foie gras — and champagne.† Now!”

Well, Empress, it was in your honor that I remembered to contribute the foie gras butter to Mark’s scallop dish.† And I thought of you as I opened the first bottle of the half case of champagne I brought.† Your subjects performed admirably yesterday.† You would have been proud to have joined us.

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