It is more difficult to celebrate well on an actual birthday when that day falls on a Monday. That is particularly true of a milestone birthday, but never fear. Amidst a week of dining at excellent restaurants, I celebrated my actual 50th birthday with a quiet, simple dinner at home with my wife and two of three sons, the eldest away at college. I loved it.
Ostrich fan steak from D'Artagnan cooked for 3+ hours in a CVap at 125ºF with salt and pimentón then finished on a charcoal grill. The first of the season local fresh asparagus from Saratoga Apple were microwaved for three minutes, dried and coated in olive oil before they were finished on the grill.
Cauliflower florets were coated with oilve oil, salt and a Ras-al-Hanoot Moroccan spice blend and roasted in a convection oven at 325ºF for 40 minutes.
Dinner was lubricated with a 1986 Ch. Lafite-Rothschild, whcih was still drinkable despite being corked, a testament to its underlying quality, even if it was a disappointment. Would that I could have returned it, but alas. 1986 was the year my wife and I were married and this is ordinarily a special wine for both of us. We made the best of it.
My wife made a key lime pie, one of my favorites. At my advanced age, I needed help blowing out the candles ;-P.
Doc,
The dinner sounds great! Im working on a farm in Argyle NY. Are you talking about the "saratoga Apple" with the cider donuts + other produce?? If so, Im not too far away....small world.
Posted by: Patrick | May 05, 2009 at 08:14 PM
I am indeed, Patrick. What farm are you working on?
Posted by: John Sconzo | May 05, 2009 at 08:54 PM
Happy Belated Birthday John!
Posted by: RobertR | May 07, 2009 at 12:02 PM