Dinner With Friends

This past weekend we had some friends over for a small intimate lobster dinner. (Well, it was one good friend and his two friends that he was dying for us to meet).  In order to make the evening a memorable one, I filled a variety of vases with yellow and pink roses.  I went with a low and lush flower arrangement throughout the apartment and for an ambient mood I lit some great-smelling candles, dimmed the lights, and popped in some French tunes (including one of my faves ‘Springtime in Paris’…) in the five cd loader stereo.

Now onto the menu: Well, in my humble opinion, I’d say it was fit for special friends. I started things out with a three-cheese lobster mac & cheese topped with a bread crumb and parmesan cheese mixture drizzled with white truffle oil baked to a crispy golden color which was washed down with a non-ending flow of white not-too-sweet sangria. Main Course was the piece-de-resistance…broiled lobster tail, rice pilaf and steamed glazed spiced carrots. And last but not least…the dessert that rounded out the meal was a rich silky hazelnut liquor infused chocolate pot de crème. The much awaited anticipation of everyone’s reaction after their first bites of your food can be agonizing at times, cause even though you know you put forth so much love and effort into cooking a meal for friends, the payoff only comes when you see the expressions in their faces as they enjoy the food. Thankfully, everyone was oooh-ing and aaah-ing. Then again, I always say “who’s going to say: ‘this is terrible!'”

A special dinner is never complete without some Laduree macarons

The fun chats and laughter was a nice break from an ordinary uneventful work week and ended up being very motivating in addition to forging new friendships. Personally, when I’m feeling anxious or low, I’ve always found the sharing of things and doing good for others to be reenergizing. Then again the key is spending time with the right kind of friends.  People that leave you feeling euphoric after being with them, not limp like a dead branch afterwards.

“You can find energizing moments in each aspect of your life, but to do so you must learn how to catch them, hold onto them…and allow yourself to follow where they lead.”

—  Marcus Buckingham