Our trip began at the local Trader Joe's in Costa Mesa. Upon walking into the store Gabe spotted some beautiful red bell peppers and suggested we incorporate vegetables for an antipasto array, also picking up some fresh asparagus. Then we sauntered over to the meat section where Gabe selected a packaged assortment of Spanish meats including chorizo, salami, and serrano. For cheese we selected four options - Trader Joe's Brie Log, Trader Joe's Fresh Goat Cheese with honey, a mild white cheddar cheese, and a Blue Castello.
As we made our way to the wine selection Gabe realized that the tasting was still in effect (and apparently this Trader Joe's is the only one in Orange County to do wine tasting). We were presented with a red and white from Bogle Vineyards in California and chose the Chardonnay along with a Shiraz from Benefactor Cellars, a South Eastern Australia wine.
Finishing up we also purchased some white peaches, marcona almonds, one artisan baguette, organic apricot preserves, one cantaloupe, and 72% cacao dark chocolate bars (for dessert of course!).
Back home, Gabe started by grilling the asparagus, bell peppers, and peaches.
The final product - French baguette slices, grilled peaches with balsamic reduction and goat cheese, marcona almonds toasted in lemon zest and olive oil, grilled red peppers drizzled with olive oil, organic apricot preserves, mild white cheddar cheese, brie, cantaloupe, grilled asparagus, serrano, salami, and chorizo.
The tray on which this was placed had a quote which I didn't notice until after we were done - "Too much of a good thing is wonderful." Fitting indeed as we left no trace of evidence of this delectable feast.
_Peace and Love
Back home, Gabe started by grilling the asparagus, bell peppers, and peaches.
Meanwhile he toasted the marcona almonds in lemon zest and olive oil for approximately 10 minutes on the stove (pictured below) and also heated about 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar on medium heat for 20 minutes.
_Peace and Love
No comments:
Post a Comment