Monday, October 28, 2013

27 October 2013







Last night's Sunday Supper was very special. Back in May, I auctioned off a Bill's Sunday Supper for four at the Cherokee County Historical Society's Derby Day at the Rock Barn. The annual event and silent auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Historical Society, and I was thrilled my Sunday Supper received the highest bid of the auction. Luckily, our friend, Richard Ryan of Charleston, won the bid and invited three other dear friends: Rick and Elaine Roberts and Nancy Snell. I spent all day in the kitchen, and it was a very nice distraction from the campaign.

Most of last week was spent planning the menu, and I wanted it to be memorable. I planned four courses to celebrate a "Summer into Fall" theme. The first course consisted of a crostini with local goat cheese and mulled muscadines. It set the perfect tone for the meal, and I followed with a pork belly and citrus salad. It was the first time I've cooked pork belly, and it won't be the last. The main course consisted of red wine braised grass fed short ribs over creamy polenta. The Honorable Rick Roberts said they were the best short ribs he's evert tasted, and he has a very discriminating palate! For dessert, I baked a molten chocolate cake with raspberries and whipped cream. Jeff worked with the sommelier at Harry's Farmers Market to pair a wine with each course, and he did a great job. Cory came over and helped serve our guests, and we enjoyed the meal behind the scenes in the kitchen. We felt very downstairs ala Downton Abbey!

Everyone enjoyed the meal and the evening, and it was gratifying to cook for great friends and a great cause. The Historical Society does great work, and the evening was only missing one thing: Judson Roberts. Judson is a great patron of the Historical Society, and he had planned to join us for Sunday Supper. Unfortunately, he is back in the hospital as his fight against lymphoma continues. We missed you Judson and look forward to treating you to a Sunday Supper of shrimp and grits in the very near future!

Election day is next Tuesday, November 5, so I hope to get back to a regular Sunday Supper very soon. Until then, vote for good people and great food.

Cheers!

The Menu:

- Crostini of Local Goat Cheese and Mulled Muscadines

- Heritage Pork Belly and Citrus Salad

- Georgia Grass Fed Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine
  Over Creamy Polenta

- Molten Chocolate Cake with Raspberries and Whipped Cream