Local Event Premier Host
Twenty Dollar Dinners: Lemons And Olives
Sat, July 21, 2018 (6:00 PM - 9:30 PM)
Cost: $20
When I think of summer foods, I think of lemons and olives. Their bright, bracing flavors bring a lot of freshness and interest to a heat-wearied palate. Our next Twenty Dollar Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, July 21st at 6 p.m., will feature an entire menu that is all about lemons and olives and we'd like to invite you to join us for dinner.
I like to find out a little about where my ingredients come from and a little history of their use--maybe you do too? So here are some facts: The origin of lemons is unknown and they first entered Europe near southern Italy no later than the 2nd century AD, but weren't widely cultivated until about the 15th century. Lemon trees can produce fruit year round and are capable of producing up to 600 lbs. of fruit each year. It's speculated that lemons are native to Asia and that they are a hybrid of a sour orange and a citron, both of which are still grown and are also used in cooking. Lemons are widely used for cooking and cleaning, pack 31 grams of Vitamin C in an average fruit, and their leaves can also be used to make tea. Olives are one of the most ancient plants on the planet with fossil evidence indicating the origins of the olive tree at about 20 to 40 million years ago in the eastern Mediterranean Basin. They are called one of the Seven Species of the Land of Israel. Edible olives appeared 6,000 to 7,000 years ago during the Bronze age. All olives start out green, then ripen to purple or black. People have been making olive oil, curing olives, cooking with and eating olives and olive oil literally for eons. Olive trees are known to survive in poor soil and drought and can also survive for thousands of years. Recently, they have become big commercial business in Texas.
So now that you know a little bit about where your food comes from, won't you join us for our very popular community table BYOB dinner? When you arrive, we'll start you out with a Lemon and Basil Martini. This vodka-based drink is built on house made basil-infused vodka, house-made lemon-infused vodka, a little house-made lemon verbena simple syrup and just enough lemonade and lemon bitters to make it refreshing. The olive garnish is what makes it look like a martini.
Our appetizer is a warm Olive and Eggplant Focaccia, served with a drinkable chilled Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, drizzled with a little olive oil that I've infused with basil from our garden and Buddha's hand citron, a cousin of the lemon. As you nibble and sip, enjoy meeting your new (or reacquainting with old) dinner companions, stroll our gardens, chat up Vindaloo and Mr. Voluptuous, or start your wine ritual while last minute preparations are happening in the kitchen.
We'll invite you to sit at the table for our meal, which will be lovingly served to you. We'll start you out with a simple salad of spinach, arugula, garlic and lemon-infused olives, crispy prosciutto and a little shaved Parmesan cheese. The salad dressing is simple as well, so that the flavors of fresh lemon juice and Texas Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil shine through.
Your main meal is comprised of roasted chicken thighs, burnished gold from an initial pan sear in olive oil and finished in the oven with white wine, fat green and kalamata olives, plenty of garlic, lemon slices, plump Capote capers and oregano from our herb garden. A lovely, creamy and comforting risotto with baby peas, crisp pancetta, Parmesan cheese and a bit of lemon zest provides a counterpoint to the bright flavors in the chicken.
What to drink with your meal? Of course, bright, acidic white wines are my first pick: Pinot Grigio, Grüner Veltliner, Gavi or an unoaked Chardonnay. For die-hard red wine drinkers, also choose bright and acidic, such as Chianti Classico or Côtes du Rhône. Beer drinkers will want to select a Saison, a Belgian Wit, a German Hefeweizen or an American lager. Can't decide? Bring one of each and we'll help you!
For dessert, enjoy a tender, moist lemon olive oil cake with candied lemon slices and a lemon glaze made with house-made limoncello. Have a bottomless cup of Community Coffee, or your own individual pot of hot tea. And ask Vindaloo to pour you some of her chilled hand-made limoncello to enjoy with your dessert. It's the house specialty.
We look forward to having you as a guest at The Voluptuous Table. Everything described above is yours for a suggested donation of $20. You can RSVP to this email, or call us at 512-55 EAT 44 to reserve your seats. We look forward to hearing from you very soon.
Pucker up,
Vindaloo Tiramisu
