Buon Cinquantesimo, Mark Matassa

Five-oh! Val and I are honored and excited to be cooking a dinner to celebrate Mark Matassa’s fiftieth birthday. Michelle and Mark are visiting us on this, his birthday weekend — and that’s like a gift to us. Here’s a sneak peek at the menu, then I have to run back to the small hurricane of preparation.

PS: This was the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I’ve been looking for an excuse to get my stand mixer for years — and making the Lemon Marmalade Tart gave me all the justification i need! The longed-for machine arrives today. Buon Cinquantesimo to me!

Tanti Auguri, Mark Matassa

cocktails
crostini misto
peperoni ripieni
bombay sapphire

antipasti
insalata fruitti di mare
oranges in harissa
crostino with manchego and tomato
crémant de bourgogne

primo piatto
risotto parmigiano with roasted bison marrow bones
brunello di montalcino

sorbet

secondo piatto
swordfish steak with a sauce of sweet pea greens
fried purple potatoes with cayenne aioli
broccolini vinaigrette
portalupi bianco

formaggio
pecorino and honey
absinthe

dolce
lemon marmalade tart with fresh whipped cream
coffee