Author: David

Table ready for Cinco de Mayo

Boeuf en Croute

These pictures represent the first real blog post that we wrote, for our Cinco de Mayo meal, and the last post of the  year.  Looking back at the early posts,  I feel like going back and fixing them, but they show that we have relaxed into the idea of putting thoughts and memories out to share with people. It also shows that Shawn was right when he suggested that we needed a better camera. We also read up on food photography, on the plane on our trip to the UK and the photography steadily improved. read more

Boeuf en Croute

With Christmas just a few days away, we are all busy planning for the big day, and looking forward to seeing family and friends (and figuring out how to wrap a Ukelele…  But this Monday our trio gathered for a last Monday Night Dinner, before the big day. A friend that we met in Worcester was visiting from Chicago, to get some coaching, before singing at Westminster Abbey. Steph thought it time that James met our friend Peter. We have also been wanting to have our very first subscriber over for dinner, for some time. This gave us 6 for dinner, our trio, James, Peter and Andrea. We met our guests with sparkling wine, to start the evening off right. read more

Barolo

Life has been a whirlwind lately. With Shawn’s opera, my shows, clowning and rehearsals, things have been very busy. That combined with being sick, has left us a little exhausted. This past Saturday our trio gathered with 90 singers, an orchestra made up of seasoned professionals and music students, absolutely engaging soloists, and two of the most talented and giving conductors that any group could ask for.  We performed an abridged version of Handel’s Messiah specifically geared to children. The Sixth Annual Children’s Messiah was a resounding success. I have not heard the official count, but St. Mary Magdalene was packed with children, parents and friends.  I must give props to Dan.  When the little boy, right behind him, fell over with his chair and the other kids were laughing, Dan didn’t miss a beat… and subsequently neither did the orchestra. I have been blessed to be a part of this event for the last three years, but this year was special to me. Partly that the audience was full and very appreciative, but also because I was more comfortable… comfortable with the music, but more importantly comfortable with my co-conspirators in music. Singing with friends ROCKS!!!! read more

Chocolate and Whole Orange Pudding

After a full week of rehearsals, work and performances, it’s time for a Monday night deprogramming session, to share the highs of the week. At the same time, we have the annual Children’s Messiah to look forward to on Dec 13th. Along with our trio we invited Mary, Sheila and Janet. That’s a lot of altos….

At Steph’s request, Janet gifted us with a lovely said grace in Latin, while clasping hands around the table: “Quae hodie sumpturi sumus, benedicat Deus, per Jesum Christum Dominum Nostrum. Amen. (May God bless what we are about to receive this day, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. read more

Winter Nights

“We sing to Thee amidst Thy host”…  From Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Part II.  And sing we did….  But more on this later…

We have not had an update in a while.  Partly due to the flu and partly due to a whole lot of rehearsals. We missed a Monday, while we were sick, but we prepped a great meal, before giving in. We planned Braciole braised in red wine.  It was nice to have this new comfort food, with pasta, to feed us while we recovered. I am sure this dish will appear on another MondayNightDining menu. read more

Table Setting

I’m not sure if this week is an official Monday Night Dining experience, since our trio is not all in attendance, but I thought I would blog it anyway.  Shawn had to go to church, to sing the All Souls service, so I am serving on my own tonight. Never one to shy away from a challenge, we decided on some items that we had not made before.  Not being a complete fools, we also made sure that most of the meal could be prepped ahead of time.

In thinking of guests, Steph realized that our friend Jennifer had to submit a proposal by 5:00.  This would mean she would be free for dinner at 5:30, and probably in need of succour and sustenance. The guest’s timing was impeccable, as they arrived within a minute of each other.  I had a lovely bottle of Featherstone Merlot decanted, so we started with a bit of an unwind, over a glass and Jennifer told us the tale of having just submitted the proposal, then having her laptop die, never to boot up again. For a techy like me, this was scarier than Friday’s ghost stories read more