Have Your Cake & Eat It Too
Published April 25, 2020
Birthdays are my favorite days to host a dinner, a lot less stressful than a holiday but with no shortage of thought and effort involved. Mark’s Birthday this year was no different, even though it was just the two of us. I wanted to serve something elegant, flavorful, and full of some of his favorite things – bourbon, prosciutto, beef, dark chocolate and port. After looking through my recipes for inspiration, I created a menu I knew he would enjoy.
Bourbon Based Cocktail – Let me start off by throwing in the kitchen towel. I am no mixologist, and who in their right mind wants to try to top our friend, Chuck's, secret Manhattan recipe anyways? So, until we see Chuck again and make him lug over his ingredients to our house to mix up a cocktail, we have been filling our bourbon cravings with a handy bottle of premixed Old Fashioneds. Add an orange peel and serve over an over-sized ice cube in a rocks glass.
Charcuterie Board – Our appetizer course was filled with a variety of flavors from some of Mark’s favorite cheeses and meats, many of which complemented the flavor in our old fashioned cocktails, keeping clear of serving anything spicy that would diminish the palate’s effectiveness when it comes to the nuances of a bourbon. This is where you can be creative, adding flavors that you love and using items that you may have on hand in your pantry (gherkins, pickled mushrooms, giardiniera, honey, jam, nuts and dried fruit). The less perfect the board looks, the more inviting it is.
The Ultimate Beef Wellington with Flambéed Brandy Sauce – This is one of my favorite dinners to make when entertaining. It’s easy to prepare in advance, cooks quickly and its presentation is impressive and colorful. To quote our friend, Sherry, “This sauce is so good I could drink it.” Flambéing the brandy in this sauce leaves behind a slight singe, a touch of flavor change and a memorable culinary experience for your audience. I did omit the pickled peppercorns from the recipe as I prefer a smoother flavor and texture of the sauce. I served the Wellington with the Wilted Green Salad and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes noted, and paired this dinner with an Italian Borolo wine to complement the beef.
Flourless Chocolate Cake - I would never deprive Mark of his favorite chocolate dessert on his birthday. Not to mention, it pairs beautifully with his favorite port wine. This recipe is one of his preferred of the many I’ve experimented with. You will not miss the flour in this decadent bittersweet dessert.
24 Layer Chocolate Cake – Why not have multiple cakes and eat them too? I love sampling different desserts, so I tend to serve a variety of them as well. Besides, you can’t go wrong with more chocolate. The trick to getting thin even slices for the layers in this cake is to use a very handy layer cake slicing kit. Freeze the cake adequately before slicing and the layers cut clean. With the right tools on hand, this cake is easy to assemble. I made a mistake by over mixing the batter, which added too much air. The cakes came out with a slight sunken middle. I was only able to get 12 full layers out of my cake, but this is hands down one of the best scratch chocolate cake recipes I've tried.
Tawny Port Wine – The perfect night cap. I personally gravitate towards the sweeter 20-year-old. However, Mark prefers the lighter bodied 40-year-old, so he wins. After all, it is his Birthday.
Dark Chocolate Truffles Rolled in Spices – for a sweet and spicy bedtime treat…as if we needed more sugar. I left out the Chinese Five Spice and Chili Powders from the recipe toppings as I knew Mark would not like those flavor combinations. Needless to say, they were a hit!
Happy Birthday, Mark! May all your birthday wishes come true!
Enjoy!
Renée Meuse Lovley