February was my turn to host Supper Club. I chose Spanish Tapas as the theme because I love Spanish food. Real, simple, TRADITIONAL Spanish food! (my Kate lived in Spain for a year, and ever since I tasted her traditional, cold Gazpacho, I was HOOKED! Her & Paul's wedding reception was all Spanish themed. It was FAB!)
I had visions in my head of what the night would be. What it would taste like. Sound like. Look like. I was SO HAPPY when my girlfriends showed up and brought those visions to life. FULL palate! I love my "Foodies!"
We started off the night with both Red and White Wine Sangria.
Accompanied by appetizers of fresh made empanadas
More Sangria.
Followed by dinner.
The Tablescape
Tissue Flower napkin rings
Luminarias, Marcona almonds and garlic stuffed olives
For dinner we ENJOYED Tortilla de Patatas
spicy marinated mushrooms
and Seafood Paella.
Oh Friends! Let me give you just a glimpse of the history behind the Paella! Mateo lived in Spain for a year. Valencia. He was 12. He kissed a Spanish girl. He built, burnt down, and LIVED Falles. We've committed, to each other, to take the kids out of school and live in Spain for a year. Because he LOVED it so much. We're almost there. Soon. Oh yes! I can't forget the best part....
AND WON!! Beat all the Spaniards. Don't think, for one minute, he let me forget that fact as I was cooking. Mateo really wanted to cook the Paella for me. (And I knew if I let him, if would be PERFECT!) But, I argued, that letting someone else cook was against what Supper Club was all about! He argued, that "REAL," true, traditional Valencian Paella had RABBIT in it.
RABBIT.
Yes. You read that right.
Bugs Bunny.
Conejo.
I almost caved. Even called the Meat House and tried to special order it. But alas, I was too late. You must order BUGS at least a week in advance if you want to eat him. I know this is totally convoluted. Because I eat chickens and cows and pigs and turkeys and trout and salmon and all kinds of eggs and even a snail now and then. But RABBIT?! It just wasn't in me. I was SO happy my slacker-ness made it impossible. Long live BUGS!
Once Mateo succumbed to the fact that my Paella wasn't going to have rabbit in it, he sorta gave up on insisting he had to cook it. He let it all go - as long as I would commit to one very special, "secret" ingredient. True Paella, says Mateo, has a burnt bottom. As in black, crispy and charred tasting. Burnt is GOOD, he insisted.
So I burnt it. And it was good! We all gobbled it up in minutes flat. Afterwards, we moved on to dessert. Emily's Flourless Almond cake with vanilla ice cream {and maybe a couple Almond Roca!}
I have to admit...the longer I celebrate Supper Club, the more I know...
I have beautiful,
happy,
know and have my heart,
GIRLFRIENDS!
It's a Wonderful Life.
The Girls of Supper Club.
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