Blog Carnival: the Progressive Dinner

Today begins another blog carnival in which I have been privileged to contribute!

This is a veritable smörgåsbord of blog styles and interesting writing, so as I head out for a weekend at a writer's conference in NYC I invite you to stick around and satisfy your hunger for good blogging by sampling the offerings here:

Begin your "dinner" with drinks and hors d'oevres at Kilroy's place. Sample his interesting fare, then follow his directions to the next course . . .

. . . where you can nibble your way through many appetizing tidbits at Isabella's. . . .

. . . At the next stop Fallen Words is serving soup--36 recipes worth! (Be sure to look for my addition, something Writerwoman is calling "Mexican Red Onion Soup"--spicy!). . . .

. . . Still hungry? Hearty and filling entrees are served byAnja who then directs you to . . .

. . . some sweet treats at Fiction Scribe for the dessert portion of your meal. . . .

. . . Last, but hardly least, wander by Anthony's place for after dinner drinks and pleasant conversation!

If you enjoyed this little trip through the blogosphere, look at what else is coming up! The hosts of Soup to Nuts will be putting on a variety of other carnivals. They'd like to invite you to join in for these upcoming events:

• Anthony is hosting the Surfer's Paradise Hullabaloo! Carnival, on February 18th. There's only one guideline for submissions --Send your most interesting posts.
• Kilroy_60 is hosting the Gonzo Gratitude! Carnival (What are you thankful for?), at The Gonzo Papers, on February 15th
• Isabella is hosting not one, not two, but, yes, three carnivals in February at Change Therapy. Her Buddhist Carnival runs February 15th, the Carnival of Eating Disorders runs February 22nd and Canada 9-5, a showcase for Canadian Business Blogs, runs February 28th.
• JM is hosting the Scribes Carnival at Fiction Scribe on February 4th. (My birthday!)
• Anja is hosting the Carnival of Observations on Life at Anja Merret - Chatting To My Generation on February 17th. She then hosts the Personal Power carnival on February 23rd.
  

And finally, the next Soup to Nuts Progressive Dinner Blog Carnival will be on April 30th. Entries are being accepted NOW.

Bon Appetite!

The Carnival is in Town: Soup to Nuts a Blog Carnival Progressive Dinner!

You Are Invited To The Blogosphere's Only Progressive Dinner Carnival

I've been involved in a Blog Carnival before, but now there is something new out there in the Blogosphere! Have you ever been to a progressive dinner? You start out at one house or restaurant to have hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, then move on to a different one for appetizers, and continue moving from place to place all the way through dessert!

That's the idea behind a brand new "Progressive Dinner Blog Carnival" . . .

. . . Soup To Nuts is ONE BLOG CARNIVAL presented in five "courses," each with a different host! So, care to join me for dinner?

Dinner will be served on Wednesday, January 30th.

• The Hors d'oeuvres & Cocktails will be served at Fear and Loathing - The Gonzo Papers.
• For Appetizers we will move over to Change Therapy
• Then the First Course will be served at Fallen Words
• For the Main Course we visit Anja Merret - Chatting To My Generation.
• And finally Dessert will be served at Fiction Scribe.

This is quite a one of a kind Blog Carnival! Many kudos to Kilroy (*Tsai blows him a kiss!*) for setting it all up! He purposefully chose five blogs to host the dinner that would each get different organic traffic. If you migrate through each of the five courses it will be unlike any other blog carnival you’ve ever done. What a great way to "taste" the internet and the blogging comunity!

Want to participate? You can submit one post, per blog, on any subject (please do not use any post more than once).

The Rules are simple:

1. Only English language posts will be accepted.
2. No posts with titles that include profanity or pictures of a sexual nature.

You can participate in 1, 2, 3, 4 or all 5 courses:

• Use "Progressive Dinner" as the subject line.
• Email your entry for the hors d'oeuvres & cocktails to Kilroy at: kilroy60@gmail.com .
• Email your entry for the appetizer course to Isabella at: moritherapy@shaw.ca
• Email your entry for the first course to Sara at: ilovetowriteSMP@yahoo.com
• Email your entry for the main courseto Anja at: anja@hqlondon.net
• Email your entry for the dessert courseto Jaime at: sylver1@tpg.com.au

Your Entry post should include:

• Your name as you want it to appear
• The name(s) of your blog(s)
• The corresponding URL(s)
• The title of your post(s)
• The corresponding URL(s)

This is a fabulous way to meet other travelers in the Blogosphere! So don't miss it!

Dessert First

You are intent on the computer, checking your email, planning the day. . . you never even hear her come in the room until she says, "Hey you . . ."

On the tray she holds there are two cups and a pot of steaming coffee--Mocca Java by the scent that fills the room--and a glass plate holding a couple of chocolate éclairs. You push back your chair from the desk and she curls in your lap like a cat. Snuggles her face in your neck and begins kissing you softly. . . small kisses that trail down the line of your shoulder, your collarbone, then up your jawline to your mouth. "Hungry?" she asks with a mischievous smile. “Want some dessert?”

She reaches for an éclair, runs her tongue over the top, licking off the chocolate surface, then she turns back to you and, with one hand on the back of your neck pulling your face to hers, kisses you deeply passionately—a long, slow chocolate flavored dance of tongue on tongue. She pulls away and as you reach for her, she lifts the éclair to her mouth. She nibbles off the tip of the éclair, murmuring a soft “Mmmmm,” and you watch fascinated as her tongue, pink and wet, laps into the creamy filling. She scoops a bit of that creamy center on her tongue and leaning closer slides her tongue in your mouth. As she pulls back she whispers, “You want some of this?”

Your arms around her, your hands on her hips, you can only watch as she dips her tongue in the cream of the éclair again and again. Then she slides the end of it in her mouth, slides it in and pulls it back out. Slides it in again and sucks hard. She bites and chews and then grins wickedly at you. You see a tiny bit of the cream on the corner of her mouth and lean in to lick it off with your tongue. “Tasty,” you tell her. She finishes off her éclair with slow and deliberate bites. You watch her run her tongue around her lips. As she snuggles in closer and slowly runs her tongue across your lower lip, you are aware of an uncomfortable tightening of your jeans. So is she.

She rises, takes your hand, and pulls you out of your chair. "Let’s go have dessert first," she says, leading you to the bedroom.

Breakfast with a Lover

You wake up after a wild night at the clubs. There's a man in bed next to you. How do you get past that awkward here's-your-pants-thanks-for-coming moment? Let's face it, until you've known a man for years, mornings are a bitch. Plan ahead. Have a few simple ingredients always on hand and you can enjoy the morning after just as much as you enjoyed the night before.

First and foremost you must invest in sexy robes. Yes, we know that you prefer to schlep around in the beat up terry-cloth thing you've had for years, but face it. . . that's not helping you look your best. Beauty doesn't have to be uncomfortable. I like a thigh-length Chinese silk wrap (I have several and can testify to the comfort of these!), or a cotton Japanese yukata (I have a fav in black with dragons; unbelted it sweeps the floor and trails behind as I walk--nicely showing a lot of leg).

Set up the coffee the night before (assuming you are capable of rational thought after clubbing or whatever). If you are smart and wake up first, do a bit of primping, throw on the robe, and start coffee before waking him with kisses. If he wakes first, send him to turn on coffee while you go primp.

Now you fix breakfast together:

Gevalia Coffee with Biscotti
Fresh Fruit and
Executive Home Fries

Executive Home Fries are a specialty of a little restaurant I love in Kent, Ohio. All you need are white potatoes, a variety of other ingredients, and at least three cheeses.

Depending on your preferences, either grate or finely dice 2-3 medium size potatoes with one small onion. In a large saute pan fry these on med-high heat in a couple tablespoons of virgin olive oil, flipping often.

While you fry the potatoes set him to chop the other ingredients. I usually add whatever I have in the fridge that seems suitable. Any cooked meats: leftover beef or pork bits, precooked sausage, ready to eat bacon (a good thing to keep on hand for adding to your cooking), deli ham. Any vegetables: broccoli, asparagus tips, celery, grated carrot, fresh tomatoes (little grape tomatoes are best), mushrooms, capers. With vegetables fresh is always better, but if all you have is frozen run them under warm and pat dry before throwing them in. Add ingredients as you go, adding things like tomatoes that need less cooking at the end. You want the potatoes fork-done and browned, all vegetables still a bit crisp. Some fresh herbs to add at the end could include (pick only one or two, don't overpower your flavors): parsley, savory, chives, tarragon, lovage (leaves), and, of course, fresh ground pepper and sea salt.

You also want to grate about a 3rd cup each of 3 different cheeses. My favorite combination is Jarlsburg swiss, asiago, and a tiny bit of crumbled feta. At this point turn off the heat, sprinkle the cheeses on top the potato mix, and cover it while you set the table with nice china and linen napkins.

Your fresh fruit can be whatever is in season, but think about presentation. Fill half of a stoned peach with tiny raspberries or blueberries. Toss pineapple and melon cubes with fresh mint leaves. Add a dollop of vanilla yogurt to a bowl of mixed berries.

If he offers to help with the washing up, he is a keeper. And after a luscious night and a delicious morning you can be pretty certain he'll back. If you want to insure that, drag him back to the bedroom for another round of morning calisthenics before he heads off to the gym or work or wherever!

Menu for a Romantic Dinner for Two

Ladies, you've met that special man. You want to make a special night of it. Don't ask him to take you out, cook for him. Here's the menu:

Filets wrapped in bacon with melted blue cheese
Grilled fingerling potatoes with herbes de Provence
Tossed salad of mixed greens, fresh herbs, and flowers

First the potatoes. You want the tiny new fingerling ones, 1"-2" round, no bigger. Cut them in half, or quarters, pieces small enough to fit easily in a shot glass. Sliver a small onion. Toss this together with enough olive oil to coat. Depending on the season you can add any or all of several fresh herbs: rosemary (has to be fresh, dried rosemary is nasty), buds of lavender (best when full and round but not yet bloomed), or savory. Experiment. Find the herbs, the scents, the flavors that you like, that he likes. If mixing flavors scares you buy a bottle of "Herbes de Provence"--a blend of these and other flavors. Put the potato mixture on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil in a single layer and seal the edges. Throw this on the grill first, it will take about 15-20 minutes. Turn often. (If your grill is small, you can do these in the oven at about 400 degrees. Still need to turn often!)

Now for the steaks. You want two 7 oz. fillets (9 oz. if he's a man of hearty appetite). Roll the edges in crushed peppercorn, then wrap a thick slice of bacon around the edge. Secure with toothpicks. Let him do the grilling. It more fun to play together. Meat is more tender when rare, but the center must be barely warm (not cold) and still red (but not too bloody). At the very last minute add some crumbled Stilton bleu cheese to the top of the steak.

While he's grilling the steaks you toss the salad. Mixed spring greens are best, some carrot shredded, more fresh herbs (cilantro, tarragon, a tiny bit of fresh mint), some little grape tomatoes, maybe some mandarin oranges, strawberries sliced, some sunflower seed, and some fresh flowers. There are many edible (and tasty) flowers to add to your salad. Rose petals are good--be sure they are from the tiny Damask roses or wild roses, not those huge hot house flowers from the florist that have neither flavor nor scent!) Nasturtium blossoms add a peppery taste. Purple chive blossoms add a hint of onion. No, you are not likely to find these in your corner market, you have to grow them. It isn't hard, but it does take serious advance planning!

You can use any salad dressing you like but I recommend a raspberry-walnut vinaigrette. You can make your own or if you want to go with store bought, Ken's and Newman's are both good brands. Go easy on dressing, you want to flavor, but not overwhelm a salad.

Drinks? A red wine: a Merlot or a Shiraz. I am partial to the Aussie reds. Find out what he likes though. Is he a beer drinker? I like Blue Moon with sliced oranges, but some men find that a bit frou-frou. Get him to try something new. Tsingtao, a light Chinese beer or Negra Modelo a dark creamy Mexican brew.

Let's talk about salt and pepper. None of this canned black pepper or iodized salt junk. You need, if you don't already have them salt and pepper grinders. There are many peppers: red, green, white, pink and black. I prefer a mix of several. As for salt, sea salts are the best. I use Celtic grey sea salt for meats, a lighter Hawaiian red alae for vegetables.

Set the table for two in the garden (double benefit to growing your own!); use the best china, silver, linen napkins, fine crystal. Light candles everywhere. Dress up a bit, something slinky.

Music is your own choice, I'd uses Vangelis' soundtrack to the movie Blade Runner.

Enjoy the meal. Speak only of happy things, beautiful things, let go of the stresses of the day.

Dessert? Did I forget about dessert? No, I didn't. Be dessert. Make it sweet for him.