Happy Birthday

Birthday's should always be celebrated. Today is that special day for a special person in my life.

I sought to create a very special dinner. As I entered the SM Seafood Market, I had no clue what I wanted to cook. Considerations included live crawfish but getting these babies without a pre-order is next to not especially on a Sunday. Possibly frozen and that was a no also. I decided on fresh oysters, head on Santa Barbara Shrimp and Skate wing. Do I know how to shuck an oyster? - No. Have I ever cooked Skate Wing? - No. But I have a son who graduated from the CIA. He knows.

Insult onto injury, I headed to Costco and got some King Crab legs and Mussels to steam. Note - this dinner is planned for two.

I tend to go overboard. I really never got use to cooking a meal without the out of nest kids. What I finally brought to the table included: fresh shucked oysters, steamed mussels with a lemon-garlic butter sauce, grilled head on shrimp, king crab legs, skate wings pan fried with a caper butter sauce and steamed broccoli rabewith a great white wine.

Flickr Photo Set

Table Top Cooking With Fantastic Family Friends

Got a call from one of our dearest friend's newlywed son and wife who were visiting Los Angeles. They planned to come by today for a short visit. There are no short visits when you come by our house. G called them and said I was going to prepare dinner and they were ok with it.

Dinner turned into a Shabu Shabu style meal with an added table top grill. Fresh vegetables (spinach, zucchini, raddish, sugar snap peas) with thinly sliced pork, beef and chicken plus marinated beef and chicken with enoki mushrooms and to drink- lemongrass tea.