Fungi Feast

While the majority of the dinner parties we do at Kirk's Traveling Kitchen tend to be the standard four or five course affairs; elaborate, mini-coursed tasting menus are becoming more and more popular. While easily among our favorite events to do, these dinners, which can be anywhere from 10 to 15 courses, paired with wine, over four-plus hours, are not for the faint-of-stomach. However if you are a dedicated food person, and believe in the role dinner can play as entertainment (beyond pleasurable sustanence), it might be an experience for you!

To give you an idea what one of these meals entails, I've listed the menu from a dinner I did this weekend. The host suggested the theme "Mushrooms" and wanted to pair the individual courses with wines from his exceptional cellar. Like many of the tasting menus that we do, my team and I may have had as much fun preparing and serving the food as the guests had eating it!

"Fungi Feast" Mushroom Tasting Menu from May 10,2008

1st Course: Crab "Rangoon" stuffed Morel Mushroom Tempura with Fresh Wasabi Ponzu

2nd Course: Danko Shiitake Mushroom Spring Rolls with Mint & Peanut Sauce

3rd Course: Bison Carpaccio with Shaved Raw Portobellos, Sea Beans & Truffle Salt

4th Course: Hen of the Woods Mushroom "Cappuccino" with Celery Root Foam

5th Course: Pecorino Custard Ravioli with Trumpet Royale Mushrooms & Madeira Essence

6th Course: Poached Wild Scottish Salmon with St. Georges Mushroom Terrine & Pumpkin Seed Sabayon

7th Course: Pomegranite Glazed Guinea Hen with Farrotto, Cavolo Nero & Porcini Picada

8th Course: Roasted Beef Loin with Fingerling Potato Galette & Wild Mushroom Confit

9th Course: Chabichou du Poitou (Goat Cheese) with Celery Hearts & Zante Currants

10th Course: Blueberry Tartlets with Neufchatel Pastry Creme, Graham Cracker Crust & Candy Cap Mushroom Streusel

11th Course: Individual Devil's Food Cakes with Domori Chocolate Buttercream (Birthday Surprise!)

12th Course: Dark Chocolate & Tuile Cookie "Fungi"