Scary how often we use our phones during a Foodie Dinner! Here we are taking shots of Pork Tenderloin Wellington
The Foodies 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.
Let’s see, how many holidays ago was Halloween? Seems like years have passed already since the cute little trick-or-treaters ran rampant through the neighborhood, yet it’s not even been a month.
Some holidays linger a while after the big day, but Halloween seems to fold up and pack itself away post-haste, making way for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the other late-year holidays. However in this post we will buck the trend by telling the spooky tale of our somewhat recent Foodies Group dinner party with a Halloween theme.
Some holidays linger a while after the big day, but Halloween seems to fold up and pack itself away post-haste, making way for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the other late-year holidays. However in this post we will buck the trend by telling the spooky tale of our somewhat recent Foodies Group dinner party with a Halloween theme.
In the 12+ year history of this group, I don’t believe we’ve ever had a holiday-specific theme until now. Sure, there have been some “holiday” themes – Arthur Guinness Day, anyone? But we usually avoid scheduling the dinner parties on or around the major American holidays because there’s so much else going on in our lives.
So it was a special treat (no tricks!) to receive the theme notification from Kathleen and Karen:
So it was a special treat (no tricks!) to receive the theme notification from Kathleen and Karen:
Ghoulies and Ghosties and Long-legged Beasties and Things that Go Bump in the Night. So collect those eyes of newt and create those cobweb pies and let’s meet at midnight in a unhallowed grove. BYOC (cauldron)
The crew rose to the occasion, embracing the chance to cut loose with costumes and décor as well as the food and drink, bringing even more creativity to the table than usual.
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Kathleen curated a delightful playlist which I will save to share next October. As delightful as the Monster Mash is at a Halloween party, its appeal fades faster than the sugar buzz from leftover candy once the holiday has passed. For me, at least.
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Instead, please enjoy Russian composer Modest Massorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, a classical piece that certainly speaks to the ‘things that go bump in the night’ aspect of our theme.
Take a peek at the menu of ghoulish delights … if you dare:
Take a peek at the menu of ghoulish delights … if you dare:
- Drinks – Ilise and Ann: Dracula’s Kiss and Pearfect Potion cocktails; assorted wine including a Walking Dead red
- Appetizers – Greg: Blood and Guts Tarts
- Main course – Karen and Kathleen: Halloween Salad; Pork Tenderloin Wellington; Jack-o-Lantern Peppers Stuffed with Black Rice and Sweet Potatoes
- Dessert – Ellyn: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and Ice Cream
Speaking of bloodthirsty – or just plain thirsty – let’s begin with a cocktail. Step into the mad scientist’s lab, won’t you, as Ilise in her Hematologist costume prepares a Dracula’s Kiss for each guest. After mixing two different fruit syrups with cherry vodka and Chambord, the crimson liquid was presented in a blood bag, then dripped into in test tubes which we were encouraged to drink as a shot. Down the hatch!
We made a batch at home and served 'em up onsite. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
We made a batch at home and served 'em up onsite. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Ilise reminded us what happens when one receives a kiss from Dracula -- a new vampire is born. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
The second cocktail -- because one is clearly not enough -- is named the Pearfect Potion. You will want to savor this tasty tipple all year round (the Dracula shooter might be more of a special occasion/ Halloween treat). Ilise mixed bourbon with maple whiskey (a newfound delight from a trip to Canada earlier this year) and simple syrup made with pears. Oh so good! In keeping with the evening's theme, dry ice swizzle sticks added to the spooky atmosphere. (Dry ice is also responsible for the ghostly fog emitted by the pumpkin, as seen in various photos.)
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Dry ice adds a spooky element to the delicious Pearfect Potion cocktails.
We were sad to miss our pal Dan at this dinner party, but Greg stepped up to the plate and served a tantalizing platter of savory appetizers which he named Blood and Guts. He started with a base of homemade sourdough crackers. Who makes their own crackers, I ask you?! Greg does, that's who, and I for one am damn glad he invested the time and trouble. These crisp crackers are out of this world!
Next he piled on ... well, let's hear from Greg himself:
Next he piled on ... well, let's hear from Greg himself:
For the Foodies get-together at Halloween 2018, I put together ghoulish “blood and guts” tarts using a spicy puttanesca-like sauce to represent the blood; layers of caramelized onions and buttery spaghetti squash represent the guts. I pressed homemade sourdough rye cracker dough into madeleine forms and baked them ahead of time to make casket-shaped tart shells. A dash of Vulcan Fire Salt amped up the devilish spicy element. A topping of fontina and parmesan was sprinkled over the tarts before baking to heat the filling and melt the cheese.
There are a lot of separate components and advanced prep, but this can all be done ahead of time. You only need to pop the finished tarts into the oven at the last minute before serving.
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For the main course, Karen and Kathleen tapped into their creativity to make several devilish dishes, including a mummy-like pork tenderloin and adorable individual 'punkins.' Kathleen, tell us more:
After struggling to find an appropriate main course for the theme we chose, we finally settled on a pork tenderloin Wellington. We gave it a decidedly ghoulish cast by using strips of dough rather than a solid sheet and presented it as a mummy in a black casket. This we supplemented with jack-o-lantern-cut yellow and orange bell peppers stuffed with black (“forbidden”) rice and bits of sweet potatoes. We also served a Halloween salad featuring apple, smoked gouda, and farro salad, adapted from the website Two Peas and their Pod.
Sadly, my photos of the pork/mummy fail to show the details of the clever presentation. You'll have to take my word on how cute the roast was as the Ks served it in a little casket. Flavorful, attractive (love those pepper pumpkins!) and seasonal, this is a menu that will work long after the holiday. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
HOLD THE PHONE! We have a late-breaking update to the story: a photo of the mummy has been unearthed. Behold in awe and admiration!
This pork tenderloin Wellington is in costume as a mummy.
Yes, believe it or not, after all that we still had room for dessert, and Ellyn delivered a magnificent one. Pumpkin flavored whoopie pies paired with ice cream. Now this is a treat worth saving for yourself, not for the costumed kiddies parading through your yard on All Hallows Eve. Sorry kids!
A relatively easy-to-make recipe, this dessert packs a powerful punch of autumnal flavors -- warm spices, pumpkin pie-like seasonings, creamy filling. Add a little ice cream and you've got the perfect finish to a wonderful meal. The recipe comes from Epicurious. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
A relatively easy-to-make recipe, this dessert packs a powerful punch of autumnal flavors -- warm spices, pumpkin pie-like seasonings, creamy filling. Add a little ice cream and you've got the perfect finish to a wonderful meal. The recipe comes from Epicurious. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
So that, my friends, is the tale of our spooktacular dinner party. Are you scared? I am, because I fear a meal this good will never come around again ... until the next Foodies dinner party.
Want a second helping (or third! I won't tell) of the Foodies dinner parties? Click here to read more.
Want a second helping (or third! I won't tell) of the Foodies dinner parties? Click here to read more.
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