Lord knows that if I had just moving into a new house two weeks prior, I would not be anxious to host an 11-person dinner. But that is one of the many things that differentiate the Rare Hipster (and by association, his wife Ellen) from myself.
Having sold both their individiual houses and consolidated their living spaces into a newer, bigger but slightly weirder abode (a double-doored room in the basement with floor to ceiling windows? an under-the-counter microwave?), the two of them felt is was actually past due to hold their first Geekquinox. And with their new glassy domicile nicknamed The Crystal Palace, a crystal-themed dinner seemed wholly appropriate!
Now, I say dinner, but these affairs are kicking off at noon nowadays, partly because we can and also because it allows us to finish up at a reasonable hour - ain't none of us geeks getting any younger, after all. Rob was able to fly out from Ottawa, in anticipation of next week's G&G XVIII.
The new pad is termendously well suited to hosting parties of this size, with the kitchen having access to the deck and barbecue but also a living room area with couches and chairs. There is plenty of space to extend their new convertible table, so everyone is close at ahand without ever feeling crowded.
Audrey's commitment to the theme meant borrowing an assortment of sparkly clothes from her friend Angela (thanks Angela!), whose Drag Brunch attendance frequency necessitates a particularly shiny and fabulous wardrobe.
I ended up going with a shiny shirt and tie (and sparkly butterfly brooch Audrey found) so I wouldn't look completely out of place next to my wife.
Beginning at lunchtime meant great easts right out of the gate: a baked ziti, cooked in a crystal dish. Tender pasta, a zesty, scratch-made tomato sauce and loads of melted cheese throughout (and especially in the highly coveted corners) got things off to a great start.
After helping Pete marinate some flank steak for a later dish, it was time to try one of his signature cocktails: a basil and lime creation stoked by Crystal Skull Vodka. Delightfully refreshing and tremendously presented to boot. Even Audrey, whose acidic sensitivity makes her wary of citrus concotions, found this one delicious.
Next up, in honour on the disco ball in the basement, was a delicious '70s-style cheese fondue, with generous portions of French bread on skewers. The cheese itself, based on Dubliner Irish cheddar, was a little runnier than Pete had hoped when scaled up to the number of guests, but no less delicious, with a pleasing aroma and savoury tang on the palate.
All too soon it was time for not only another drink, but a drinking game based on Deal or No Deal. With five boxes containing an assortment of liquor ranging from the sublime (Midleton's Extra Rare Irish Whiskey) to the horrific (a cheaper tequila washed with habanero), the contestants were expected to select one at random and all of us drink an ounce of whatever was offered, ending when we reached the Midleton's.
I had serious concerns about potentially having to drink 5 shots of spirits in rapid succession, but hey, rules are rules. I made first pick, which was not the prize, but a very decent consolation: Bumbu spiced rum, which I prefer to drink neat anyways. Luckily, Jeff's next pick led him directly to the prized whiskey, which we drank out of beautiful and heavy Waterford crystal tumblers. (Why on Earth I did not photograph this exquisite glassware, I do not know...).
There had been plans for Pete to serve a salt-encrusted beef tenderloin wrapped in a teatowel and cooked by depositing it directly on hot coals, a Colombian technique called lomo al trapo. But the combination of timing and lack of capacity in the the guests meant saving that dish for a future Geekquinox.
Luckily the marinated flank steak cooked on the Big Green Egg came out perfectly, and everyone had more than enough protein in the form of strips of succulent grilled steak in a tangy marinade. (The crystal conneciton was being a dish from Mexico, sandwiched between the crystal blue waters of the Carribean and the Pacific...)
And to round out the evening, an exquisite geode cake:
Scratch-made chocolate devil's food cake with buttercream icing and crystalline decorations made of tinted rock sugar. The cake itself was amazingly dense and moist, and while the decorations were not really intended for eating, who could resist sugar crystals in that scale?
We wrapped up the evening around 10 pm, which felt early, but followed ten hours of eating, drinking, and socializing for us guests, and absolutely unequalled hospitality from Pete and Ellen. Thanks again!
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