CHAR BROILED

I didn't realize this until just now, but last night was the first time we'd had anyone over for a proper dinner here. So it makes sense that our first guests were Dan and Steve!

We started off with a little antipasto plate:
- prosciutto
- salami
- olives
- st. andre cheese
- artichoke and lemon pesto
- baguette

And we gradually added a little bruschetta
- brandy wine heirloom tomato
- garlic
- red onion
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper

For the main course, we did an arctic char burger:
- char fillets
- jalapeño
- garlic
- worchestershire sauce
- anchovy
- soy sauce
- olive oil
- black sesame seeds
- egg
- panko

I forgot about some English muffins toasting under the broiler and they came out black. Sad. But I had a couple more for Dan and Steve and Meena and I had ours on some toasted peasant bread. I topped each burger off with some black prince heirloom tomato, field greens, stone ground mustard and Heinz ketchup.

Meena contributed a wonderful salad to the affair:
- watermelon
- feta
- sweet onion
- salt

She claimed there was too much feta, but I'm not sure that's a problem I'll ever have. There can never be too much feta. It was delicious.

We also had a bit of Mulderbosch chenin blanc at the beginning of the evening. I'd always wanted to try it, but it's always expensive. We found it for considerably less at Smith and Vine, so I thought I'd give it a try. Not bad. Not the best ever. But not bad.

At the end of the meal, Dan came through with one massive home run. He whipped up a little dessert that was simply the best.
- cassis
- champagne
- low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
- blackberries

Excellent start to entertaining on Verandah!