Scenes from a Birthday Party. Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, a bottle of cognac and a gentleman's portable umbrella were among the gifts for Tuck's 68th, frosting on the cake of a Cold Turkey Cookbook Birthday Eleganza computerside last evening. First course (not pictured), a Tucker favorite we hadn't served in years, steamed artichokes with butter dip.
Checking in at the California Artichoke Advisory Board website for how long to steam the 'chokes — 25-45 minutes, till center petal pulls out easily — we came upon this showstopper, Artichoke Benedict. Look to the animals, and look to the plants.
First among equals, most exclaimed-over gift of the night was The Daily Carrot. We present a carrot to our hubby each afternoon before supper, trying to outdo ourselves from day to day by surprising him with ever more creative contexts. One memorable presentation involved laying the carrot in the arms of the SpongeBob atop his computer. Another had the carrot hidden in plain sight amidst the finger foods of a Friday Puzzle Date doib plate. This time we raised the bar, setting the bright orange taproot — as one would a precious jewel — inside an acetate teabox, wrapped and ribboned to blend in with the other gifts, most of which he knew about ahead of time, having helped us pick them out. "Do I know what this is?" he asked. "Not really," we began, adding after a pregnant pause "Well, you SHOULD know." The lightbulb went off, a moment of pure pleasure as he realized he'd been fooled again.
Second course: French Onion Soup. We melted some butter and sweated down the sliced onions an hour in our fave old-fashioned Revere Ware stainless steel pan — a faithful servant of decades when fancier, trendier pans came and went — turning them occasionally till they turned "dark mahogany." Then you add white vermouth to the pan, turn up the heat and reduce liquid to a "syrup consistency." Add broth and cider and simmer 15 minutes. Full recipe here. Note: We made Pillsbury French bread, used Gruyere cheese and followed the Food Network's suggestion of an "optional" splash of cognac. Tuck said it was the best soup ever. 'Wish we'd taken more pictures, but we were too busy savoring the moment.
The rest of the menu, served in classic Cold Turkey "Petit Fours" mindful-eating style:
Baked Stuffed Potatoes (Recipe to come)
"Broccoli Moose" (Recipe to come)
Candied Carrot Coins (Recipe to come)
Great presents, great food, great company. An evening to remember, and infinitely more soul-nourishing than tuning in to Red-Diaper Baby Barry Obama's "Sally Struthers of our national conscience" infomercial, the one that delayed the start of the World Series broadcast last night.
Sounds to me like a birthday party of people who love each other.
Posted by: goomp | October 30, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Sixty-eight trips 'round the Sun for the Tuckster? Glory be! I never would've guessed...seeing as how 68 is the new 48.
My best wishes on the Happy Occasion...for both you and Tuck, for a happy couple you seem to be. May you both enjoy many, many more, without limit to any good thing.
Posted by: Elisson | October 31, 2008 at 12:25 AM
All that sounds so good, I think you should start a separate cooking blog for those of us whose tummies are rumbling now.
I really think I might try that carrot thing, too, for Buck (our husbands rhyme! who woulda thought?), the vegetarian.
Posted by: Patti | October 31, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Oh, what a wonderful description of "a birthday party of people who love each other." It is the love part that shone through.
Happy 68, Tuck. Many, many more years of happiness and health.
Carol and Alan
Posted by: Carol Ward | October 31, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Every birthday is a cause of celebration and Sissy, you did it up right.
Happy birthday Tuck
Posted by: Jill | October 31, 2008 at 10:31 AM
What a blessed couple you two appear to be. And my goodness Sissy - your Tuck is a very good looking man! I would never have guessed 68.
Seems to me that living with Tiny and the Babe (living with or being subservient to - that is the question) agrees with both of you. What lovely people you are.
Happy birthday Tuck. And scritches to the estimable felines in residence in Chelsea by the Sea.
Posted by: Gayle Miller | October 31, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Happy Happy Birthday Tuck - I would never have guessed it was 68! LOL. Sounds like it was a terrifically fun evening all around. Yay!!!
Posted by: Teresa | October 31, 2008 at 11:57 AM