Who has a burning desire to fire up the grill this Friday? Chances are most of us have plans for this long weekend (if you have Friday off) but if you’re on the fence come and join us.

Weather permitting we’ll be setting up around 5 pm on the “Isar Flaucher” just south of the Brudermühl bridge on the east bank. (See the map) If it decides to rain we’ll move the grilling to our place and heat up the electro-grill. We’ll provide the grilling equipment. It’s up to you to sport your grilling and beverage creativity. (BYOB)

Most of the time it’s a cocktail of people who show up to anything Alex and I organize. So if you’d like to brush up on your German or English (and maybe Spanish, Portuguese and French) you know where we’ll be.

As always, feel free to bring or pass this invite along to any one else you’d think would be interested.

Hope to see you on Friday.

My first 3-course meal dinner party was a success. I’m so proud that there were no major disasters. Thanks to Alex for attending the drinks and entertainment. Oh and a big thank you to Veronika for helping me with squeezing and cutting the fresh pasta into the boiling water. Mandy, Fabian and Muffin-dog were the first to arrive. I immediately gave Muffin a chew bone to welcome her to the party. I think she remembered being at my place of a week. (Awww moment)

We started the apéritif with a home version of Kir Royal, a mixture of sparkling wine and splash of cassis or for those with the darker love, a traditional Bordeaux, not too heavy but unfortunately with a bit more sulfur than usual. Max arrived then followed by Tavia and Karl. I started the appetizers hoping Veronika would arrive as they were being served but that didn’t happen until we decided that I should fire up the pan for the main course.

Appetizers consisted of crab-stuffed mushrooms and crab rangoon (very simple mixture of cream cheese, surimi, soy sauce, & worcestershire sauce in a folded wonton or gyoza wrappers fried until crispy). Tavia isn’t a fan of seafood so she got pork fried wonton. The main course was a pork filet mignon with a red wine balsamic sauce, fresh ricotta-bergkäse gnocchi, and spinach-rosenkohl stuffed tomatoes over a dapple of topinambur puree. The evening ended with a three layered dark-white chocolate terrine with a raspberry sauce and a sweet Riesling. [recipes to follow]

When I asked everyone how they liked their meat cooked, I got answers that ranged from bloody to well-done. Uh-Oh. After the thumb test, the evening arrived at the moment-of-truth as I sliced into pork. Ah. Success. Those who wanted well-done got end pieces and the rest got two slices of a nice rosy color. *Pride*

Everyone ate everything, including the remaining pork. I worry that I didn’t make enough and I kick myself for not taking a picture. The balsamic sauce went over very well and the plates were cleaned with the bread that Alex picked up at the last minute from Aldi (I always forget the bread). Fabian finally asked where I got the pork filet mignon and I admitted that it also came from Aldi. I’m not being cheap, they really do have good pork filets. Tavia thought my gnocchi looked like cauliflower, which to my amusement, they kind-of did.

I was a little disappointed that my mushrooms were too cold; I didn’t leave them in the oven long enough and my terrine was grainy in one layer, but those are just minor complaints. I also should of had a white wine or more sekt for those who can’t stomach red wine. (Yet some think it is a crime to drink white wine with a red sauce.)

We were definitely at our limit with 8 people for dinner. We only have 8 forks in this household, thus the appetizers were finger food. I hope the mix of people worked out alright. With three girls from the U.S., there were times of English speaking but mostly German. (Good job, girls)

Ashame I was there for only parts of the conversations but that’s part of the fun of hosting a dinner party. I can’t wait to do the next one, I’m thinking fish..

Recipe links:

• crab-stuffed mushrooms
• Red Wine Reduction: Pork Filet Mignon
• ricotta-bergkäse gnocchi [recipe to follow]
• spinach-rosenkohl stuffed tomatoes [recipe to follow]
• quadruple chocolate terrine & raspberry balsamico drizzle [recipe to follow]