Dinner and a Show

Attendees: Betty, Peanut, Pookey
Cocktail: Fresh Whiskey Sours
Appetizer: Cheese and crackers
Main Course: Roasted leek and tomato salad with grilled tuna and a homemade creamy caraway dressing
Dessert: Pear Crostata

Peanut and his coworkers Betty and Pookey are off to the big apple this weekend for a major furniture show. They have multiple events to attend in the evenings, so the ladies came over tonight for dinner and a fashion show, so that Peanut could let them know exactly what he thought of their outfits beforehand.



Dinner was inspired by these fresh leeks I found Sunday at the Dupont Farmer's Market (tough green parts trimmed off).



And since it's summer, I had Peanut grill everything (leeks, tomatoes, and tuna steaks. Are you totally impressed, Violet's Friend? I got Peanut to eat TUNA!).



Now this is my idea of plating: grilled tomatoes, leeks, and tuna on a bed of salad with a homemade creamy caraway dressing.



I was at a conference most of the day, so for dessert, I just told Peanut to go to the store and buy some fruit and I would try to make magic. He came home with New Zealand-grown pears. I decided that I would make up a pear crostata that I made in 15 minutes. Not half-bad... I think I am getting the hang of this cooking thing!

As for my favorite outfits:



Not everyone can pull of horizontal stripes, but Pookey can!



I am in love with Betty in her bubble dress.

And since everyone else was modeling, I thought I would, too. Me in my new favorite tee-shirt, home-stitched for me by my girl Rose!

This little piggie went to a pig roast!

2 little piggies (Peanut and Rajeev) went to a wedding.
2 other little piggies (Guy and Larry) went to the same one.
These four little piggies were seated at the same (gay) table and became good friends.



Guy and Larry had a pig roast on Saturday! I was so excited- my FIRST pig roast! Peanut went out of town to celebrate Mother's Day with his mom, so I brought Javier who's been salivating about having his own pig roast since the day I met him. Thankfully Javier documented it all on his iPhone- my pics were terrible!



I didn't go empty handed! I made natural strawberry cupcakes with natural strawberry frosting, decorated like little piggies of course! Marshmallow snout (I stuck in 2 chocolate jimmies to make the nostrils), marshmallow ears, and mini M&M eyes. This pic is courtesy of Violet's friend--- Peanut & I surprised her at work on Friday night and gave her one!



I made a bunch. But I got showed up:



Yes, that's a chocolate cake. Everything is edible, including the marzipan mushrooms. I definitely need to haul myself to Chicago to get Rose to teach me a thing or two. And when we were leaving, Javier conveniently said something to the woman who baked and decorated the cake in Spanish that I couldn't understand... probably along the lines of: your cake was awesome and definitely cuter the stupid pig cupcakes and I want to hire you to bake my birthday cake but don't tell the Indian kid.



Whatever, only one of my cupcakes was left.

Still, my first pig roast! I can't wait to break out la cajachina for the next one!

Tres de Mayo!

Confessions from our Tres de Mayo Party:
1. The margaritas were a bit too strong.
2. There was a lot of butter in the cupcake frosting.
3. I know I'm responsible for three shots, but that doesn't explain the 9 shot glasses I washed last night...
4. I am remembering things from last night as I blog.

It started innocently enough on Thursday night, when I squeezed 36 limes...



And everything was o.k. at 7:00, when Peanut grilled the tequila lime chicken skewers:



And we came up with a beautiful spread:



I made Peanut take some artistic close-ups! These are my favorites:



Tequila lime chicken skewers.



Homemade guacamole, salsa fresca (blue bowl) and dessert in the background.



Dessert! Lemon bars, coconut cupcakes, strawberries with whipped cream.

And then Vixen showed up....



... and seduced me into joining her for a shot of tequila....



... and the countdown had begun.



PARTY PICS!!!!



This must have been early in the evening (Jason, Simon, my favorite Filipino Martin, Julio, and Gregory).



I am remembering Baker, George and Mountie asking me about a coconut.... they must have been referring to the cupcakes...



which were delicious! Me and Javier.



Charles, whose outfit I secretly coveted, and Lance.



Jack and George flanking H. Reuhl who arrived with treats from his store (including the shot glasses, though I am not holding him responsible) and a flower on his lapel...



... that of course ended up in Vixen's hair (with Peanut).



K-dog, Ryan, and Jeff rocking the shocker.



Mountie and Eliza, taking a break from saving the world, with Peanut.



I could not have chosen a more perfect pseudonym (Vixen, Ozzie, Javier, Wentworth, Vixen's roommate and her boyfriend, and Kenny).



But oh lord, do I have to come up with pseudonyms for all of these people? Here goes: K-dog, Ryan, Baker, Jesse, Antonio, Arthur, and the guy in the back who you can't really see anyway.



Definitely later in the evening, when I started taking "artistic" photographs, which in my world involve holding the camera diagonally (Gus, Wentworth, Kenny).



This is perhaps the cutest picture ever: Jesse, Javier, Peanut, and Gus.



I just had to post this one because I really don't get what's going on? Is there a race? Apparently, Vixen's roommate's boyfriend was as confused then as I am now (Vixen, with Ozzie and Javier).



I bet she is trying to get Smith to have a tequila shot, too.



... but she is so over Kenny.



Me, gettin' some lovin' from DJ.



Again, I could not have chosen a more perfect pseudonym (Vixen and Kenny).



And again, I could not have chosen a more perfect pseudonym (Javier, Ozzie, Vixen and Jesse).

And to think, this was only for Tres de Mayo, which makes one question what on earth is going to happen on Monday for Cinco de Mayo? ADIOS AMIGOS!