A Memorable Meal.... - Viva Gourmet

A Memorable Meal is the best! It is what Viva Gourmet wants to help you enjoy. You don’t have to get too worried about everything being PERFECT. Yes, you should plan, but memories come from the perfect as well as the surprises. We recently had a group of family and friends to our home to celebrate the launch of the Viva Gourmet website and experience a tasting party of many of the fine gourmet ingredients we offer.

Here is what happened…

It was the middle of August in Florida. For those of you in more temperate zones, let me explain. That means it is hotter than blue blazes and MUGGY. There would be no ‘al fresco’ dining! Everyone indoors and the air conditioner blowing as hard as it can. Well, here is the first surprise… The evening before the party the house would not cool down. I call our local AC company in the morning and explain that I have 30 people coming for a dinner party at six. They came right out. The unit was frozen solid, which means they had to turn it OFF for the entire day so they could recharge and have it working by evening. Fortunately, by the evening it was running like a champ, but it was a long HOT day in the kitchen prepping! The other thing that happens in Florida in August is rain. Torrential rain which can occur in an instant. That ‘instant’ occurred about five minutes before our guests were to arrive.. Fortunately, we all know to just wait it out and in a few more minutes it will be gone. However this summer deluge formed a small creek between the driveway and the front door and the patio tablecloths were half way across the yard in a wet ball! No worries. Inside there was plenty of champagne and other refreshing beverages! After our guests arrived and were comfortably ‘refreshed’ we began bringing out a steady stream of treats featuring ingredients from Viva Gourmet. I would ring a bell at each offering and explain what was being either passed or set for them to enjoy.

I always enjoy having groups where EVERYONE doesn’t know each other. This was a perfect example of everyone knew someone, but no one knew everyone. Before long that was no longer the case!

We also learned in the middle of the evening that you should not operate the microwave and the portable induction cooktop at the same time! At least not if you want the electricity to stay on. In the midst of the party I was taking a flashlight down into the basement to reset the breaker! Just refresh everyone’s drink, reset the music and carry on.

The selection started out very simply with things like truffled Marcona almonds and worked up to a Fresh Summer Truffle shaved over imported Italian pasta (cooked to a perfect al dente) and tossed with nothing more than French olive oil, fresh grated parmesan and pepper. It just doesn’t get better. Well, that is until you bring out a platter of medallions of Berkshire Pork tenderloin and perfectly medium rare Buffalo tenderloin. The crowd went wild!

We ended the evening with homemade ice cream and sliced peaches drizzled with balsamic vinegar. By this time several of the fellows were sipping their favorite Scotch. A trip down to the lakefront to enjoy a few minutes of the balmy summer evening and share more stories completed the evening. Our guests departed with very happy bellies, their faces sore from smiling and the joy of meeting some new friends!