The Foodies (formerly known as the Supper Club) are a group of friends who love to cook, eat, drink, and laugh together at themed dinner parties. Our friends and family tell us they enjoy living vicariously through tales of our feasts so we’ll share the stories, pictures, and recipes here on the blog from time to time. Click here for previous Foodie Group posts, and here for the group’s origin story.

“Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.” Maya Angelou

“Let there be light,” said Kathleen and Karen, our evening's hosts. There was light, and it was good. The date coincided with the anniversary of Thomas Edison receiving the patent for his invention, the incandescent light bulb, so the Light theme for our dinner party seemed perfectly apropos. Let's take a moment to offer ol' Thomas Alva our hearty congratulations for inventing a whole mess of things - this guy was patent-crazy with 2,322 of 'em to his name worldwide! 

As to the smarty-pants title of this post, which according to Urban Dictionary refers to a high level of intoxication, well, we always enjoy some tasty cocktails and wine with our feasts and that evening was no exception. We’re a little too old (er, mature, no, how about ‘experienced’?) to overdo it with the booze, but we do manage to have a real good time. ​​

Drinks - Ilise and Ann: Dirty Martini Shooters; White Port & Tonic cocktails
Appetizers – Ellyn: Roasted Carrot and White Bean Dip; Two kinds of Tapas with Romesco (Chorizo, Manchego and Tomato; and Feta with Roasted Peppers)
Main Course – Karen and Kathleen: Pork Chops with Flaming Apricot Bourbon Sauce; Flambéed Sweet Potatoes; Steamed Broccoli
Dessert – Greg and Dan: Orange Charlotte Royale 

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

“You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world.”  ​Oprah Winfrey

Let’s talk about the drinks. ​There were a few ways we could have approached this challenge. ‘Light’ drinks versus regular cocktails, meaning lower alcohol content and fewer calories. ‘Light’ as in pale-colored. Heavenly drinks inspired by the quote from Genesis. And probably a few additional options.

House Bartender Ilise opted for cocktails that would glow in the dark under blacklight. Did you know that the quinine in tonic water glows in the dark? Yes!

Using silicone ice molds, Ilise made frozen shot glasses out of tonic water and filled them with mini martinis. Well, that’s not quite accurate. Tiny shots of gin went into the frozen quinine glasses which were served with these out-there “olives” made via molecular gastronomy. Purchased during last year’s Spain vacation, these gourmet treats called Caviaroli Drops, made by the Spanish chef/ restaurateur Albert Adria, are briny liquid-filled orbs – cool, delicious, and weird all at the same time. ​

Dirty Martini Shooter
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg
Makes one drink
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ ounces Gin (I used Gin Mare)
• ½ Teaspoon Olive Juice
• 5 Black Peppercorns
• 4 Juniper Berries
• 2 Pods of Cardamom
• 1 Rosemary Sprig
• 1 Green Olive

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients except the olive in a cocktail mixing glass – give it a good swirl. Add ice and stir until well chilled. 
• Strain into a chilled glass and add an olive. 
• Serving Tip: In this case, Ilise made tonic water shot glasses so they would glow with a black light.

We turned on the blacklights (yes, we schlepped lamps to this dinner; we are nothing if not committed), dimmed the regular lights, served the drinks and let it glow. This was fun but messy – the tonic water shot glasses melted quickly leaving a sweet and sticky mess behind. Oh well, it seemed like a good idea at the time! Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Next up, a light sipping cocktail made of white port and tonic. In this case, light refers to lower alcohol content and the non-traditional color of the port. In this country, we are most accustomed to tawny and ruby ports, but in Portugal a white port & tonic is the tipple of choice. Look into this, you won’t be sorry – especially as summer patio sipping season approaches. You’re welcome!

White Port & Tonic Cocktails
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg
Makes one drink
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ounces White Port
• 3-4 ounces of good Tonic Water (we enjoy Fever Tree)
• Slice of Lemon

DIRECTIONS:
Fill a tumbler with solid ice cubes. Add white port, and top with tonic. Squeeze a slice of lemon over the drink and drop into drink as garnish. Give it a quick stir. Sip and enjoy!

Note: For the dinner party Ilise made ice cubes out of tonic water so they would glow with a black light.  She used a ratio of 2 tonic cubes to 1 ice cube in each glass.

“Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light.” Madeline L’Engle

As we sipped our cocktails, Ellyn's appetizers flipped the switch on flavor with two appetizers that revealed different interpretations of the theme. First we enjoyed a Roasted Carrot and Cannellini Dip, a lower-calorie version of a classic bean dip. Wow, who knew carrots could taste so creamy, flavorful and – yes, I’ll say it – light! Colorful like the sun, and satisfying too. Perfect with crackers, bread, or chopped veggies.  

The second appetizer embodied a literary interpretation of light. A luscious plate of tapas recalled the Hemingway novel, The Sun Also Rises, set in Spain. The featured element was a kick-butt Romesco sauce - classically Spanish, and quintessentially delicious. One type of small bite layered Romesco with chorizo, Manchego cheese and tomato. The other tapas included roasted peppers and feta cheese alongside the Romesco. Oh my Yum! Both were through-the-roof delicious, and in danger of spoiling our dinner. (I could barely stop eating them!) Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Plato

Next it was time to sit down for a candlelight dinner courtesy of Karen and Kathleen, but first we gathered around the stove to watch some flaming performance art. The Ks chose to flambée the pork chops and the sweet potatoes, a technique which calls for dousing the food in alcohol and then lighting the liquid on fire to quickly ‘cook out’ the alcohol, leaving only flavor behind. When the blue flame dies down, your dish is ready to serve. We did not get good photos of this, so you’ll just have to take my word for it – it was very dramatic, inspiring oohs and aahs from the hungry crowd.

And may I just say, those pork chops were heavenly. They were flamed with bourbon, a perfect match for pork. The sweet potatoes were sprinkled with rum before the match was introduced. Both dishes blazed their way into our hearts (and tummies) - oh so good!

“Travel light, live light, spread light, be the light.” Yogi Bhajan

Finally we turned to the dazzling dessert, Orange Charlotte Royale, prepared by Greg and Dan. This was another playing-with-fire dish which, once again, did not cooperate for pictures. Trust me, it flamed, it impressed, and it followed through with a large dose of wonderful flavor and light, airy texture. Essentially a sponge cake with a flavorful filling and a flaming glaze, here's how Greg describes the dish: 
​

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

“There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen

So there you have it - our illuminating evening recapped. We all departed with a warm glow, full bellies, and a deeper appreciation for the humble light bulb. I hope you have seen the light yourself and will now commence to set fire to your dinner tonight. I can't guarantee the results will be as tasty as what my fellow Foodies achieved, but it will certainly be dramatic and dare I say - brilliant!

Hungry for more tales of the Foodie Dinners? Find our past stories here. 

Yes folks, it's time for a mid-day, mid-week, mid-March Afternoon Dance Break. Time to get up from the desk, break your routine, do something physical, shake out the stress, and put a smile on your face.

We've got just two songs in the ADB playlist - just enough to shake it (don't break it), rock it, roll it, bop it, stroll it, hip it, hop it, boogaloo and Tyler too. 

OK, you don't have to do any of that, but I bet you'll find a little bounce in your step and a bob to the head as you give a listen to fun new songs from some of my current favorite artists. 

Click the links to learn more about: Janelle Monae + MGMT

The Occasion: When you want to step up your cookie game from the same ol’ chocolate chip variety. Now I love me some choc-chips, don’t misunderstand, and I know they’re the default go-to cookie choice in the U.S. for a reason. But sometimes you just want to shake things up. These Salted Vanilla Toffee Cookies will have you shaking and baking in no time.
​
The Recipe: These Salted Vanilla Toffee Cookies come to us from Sally’s Baking Addiction, an awesome website for those of us who cannot get enough tasty carbs in our life. If you do not already know Sally, waste no time in checking out her site. 

​Serve With: Cuppa tea. And another cookie.

Kitchen Tip: The cookie dough needs to chill for at least 3 hours before baking, so plan ahead. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: These cookies look perfectly nice, maybe a little “vanilla”, but they hide an unexpectedly over-the-top combination of flavors and textures. A tender cookie with chewy edges, pops of toffee, and oh that flaky sea salt! For the safety (and satiety) of my fellow Americans, I should probably not be allowed within arms-length of this cookie platter so as to give others a fair shot at this taste treat. Left up to me, they would be all for me.  I guess you could say they are pretty darn good. Go make some!

Salted Vanilla Toffee Cookies
Recipe source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar 
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups Heath English Toffee Bits 'O Brickle
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy.
• Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color.
• Beat in eggs, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together until combined.
• On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick.
• Add the toffee bits, mix on low for about 5-10 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.
• Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes. This will make the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• The chilled dough might be slightly crumbly but will loosen up a bit as you roll it into individual balls. Each cookie should be about 1 tablespoon of dough. Sprinkle with just a little sea salt.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minutes (11 minutes for crispier cookies), until slightly golden brown around the edges. Switch and rotate the pans once during cooking.
• The baked cookies will look extremely soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool.
• Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with additional sea salt if desired.

Make ahead tip: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.