Messisbugo, Abridged

[hrj]

So if I were writing all this in order, I'd start with the fascinating structural analysis of the Messisbugo menus, leading to my conclusions about how to do an extremely stripped down dinner menu that still retains the same look-and-feel. But that would be more brain-work than I can manage at the moment, so I'll jump ahead and list the stripped-down menu that I plan to serve Saturday.

On the table when the guests arrive (in addition to the tablecloth, candles, plates, glasses, utensils, and napkins):
* salt
* bread rolls
* a little bouquet of flowers
* planned but omitted due to lack of time/lack of availability for purchase: a small fruit of marzipan at each place setting (I went so far as to pick up some marzipan to make my own but don't have the time; all my usual sources seem to consider marzipan fruits to be a seasonal winter item)

First Service from the Credenza
* a salad of endive, radicchio, arugula, capers, and sliced lemons
* an assortment of sliced salumi (almost every menu features smoked tongue in this slot, and since I stumbled across some while shopping, I decided to be daring enough to include it along with the more usual fare)
* parmesan cheese, sliced
* little pastries of pine nuts and raisins
* almond biscuits

First Service from the Kitchen
* roast game hens with oranges (deboned and stuffed with a forcemeat then wrapped in a cloth and boiled, served with orange slices over)
* cheese torteletti
* a pie of artichokes
* grapes (which will remain on the table for the rest of the meal)

Second Service from the Kitchen
* roast pork loin with spicy plum sauce
* little eggplants stuffed with cheese, simmered in broth
* a German-style tart of apples (I haven't quite figured out what makes this "German style")

Second Service from the Credenza
* olives
* wafers with lattemele (which appears to be some sort of clotted cream, for which I've substituted creme fraiche)
* an assortment of cheeses

As a Banquet after the Dishes are Removed
* an assortment of fruit confections, dried or in syrup
* marmalade of quinces
* pistachios and pine nuts

As is usual for my "fine dining at camping events" logistics, there are relatively few dishes that will be served hot, and they are designed to be re-heated in boiling bags, so that I can have them all hot and ready to serve without worrying about things getting over-cooked. The sole exception is the torteletti which will be cooked fresh (but can be held hot fairly easily). So in addition to the torteletti, only the two meat dishes and the eggplants will be served hot. The pork loin will be pre-carved when it goes to the table, so the only at-table carving that will be done is the game hens (which wouldn't look anywhere near as interesting if they were pre-sliced).

Comments

[lapioggia.livejournal.com]

pre dye the marzipan and take it with you, that way when some helpful person comes along offering to help you can delegate it, or you can make flowers while you're sitting in court...

I haven't gotten to the Breads of Milk and Sugar, but they are on my list...

[hrj.livejournal.com]

I simply ran out of any sort of energy for doing more. At the point when I realized I was going to be up until midnight Thursday and that wouldn't include packing the car, I cut my losses. Mind you, I"m enjoying putting this together immensely -- this was entirely my idea and my choice. But I've had to trim a few of the frills just to stay sane.

[lapioggia.livejournal.com]

sanity trumps