Summer Solstice Dinner in the Shed

Remember last year when I posted about a very talented woman making delicious lunches out of her shed in her backyard?

Well, she's at it again.

Carolyn had her first pop-up dinner party in her shed this past weekend to celebrate the summer solstice.

It was a sit down dinner for 10 people with wine pairings chosen by her friend Connie, who is a certified sommelier.

This was a special evening.

I hesitate sitting down to dinner with a bunch of strangers (like those scary bed & breakfasts, where you are FORCED to eat breakfast with people you don't know.....makes me cranky), but I like a challenge.

Luckily, this group was all food friendly.

No one was gluten free, no one was lactose intolerant and it seemed even everyone ate meat!

The menu was gorgeous, and Carolyn makes every last bit from scratch, down to the last course.

The herbs and greens are all from her garden.
The local cherries were dried overnight in the oven for the wild rice pilaf.
The soup stock was made from corn cobs and corn milk.
The fantastic bread was made from a sourdough starter she has been carrying around for 19 years.

Here are the highlights.....hope you are hungry.

There was bubbly and cheese and olives on the patio to start.

Then a "solstice soup":

a corn chowder (sans cream) with a British curry and prosciutto crisps.

The next course was a beautiful Copper River "solstice" salmon cooked sous-vide on pea shoots w/ pea mash and peeky toe crab and a vidalia onion ring (WOWZA)................

The main course was a filet of beef on top of zucchini wrapped with herbed chevre and a wild rice with dehydrated cherries (better than any restaurant).

and to end the meal, we were served a gorgeous roasted strawberry crumble w/ homemade strawberry ice-cream paired with a Moscato d'Asti. Divine.

This was a labor of love for the chef, and we loved every bite!

I love the idea of pop-up dinners and gourmet clubs in your neighborhood, it allows you to bring people together who have a love of food and conversation (I think I fall into both categories!).

Happy Summer!