Monday, April 9, 2007

The Easter Feast

Okay, I really don't celebrate Easter. Since I am now a "fallen Catholic", Easter is just another one of those holidays centered around eating. Sounds good to me... And since it is just an "eating holiday", I had the luxury of sleeping in and having breakfast with my family at Denny's. No Sunday Service for me to attend...yes!

Gotta love a restaurant that has a "table tent talker" for deep fried cheesesticks and onion rings at 8:00 in the morning.

Before I left my cousin's house, she had given me some beautiful strawberries, so I decided to stop off at the store and pick up a few items to complete my Easter Feast. It was around noon when I made it to the store and I was surrounded by people in their Easter finest picking up last minute items and floral arrangements. I noticed that I was getting some odd looks as I was steering my cart around the store. Did I have something in my teeth... or oh god, something coming out of my nose. I nonchalantly brushed my finger over my nose and quickly looked down to inspect myself. Then I remembered what I was wearing; yoga pants and this shirt....

It's a t-shirt from Sharffenberger Chocolate...Uplifting, isn't it?

Oh well, then I am a heathen. A heathen with great taste in clothes and chocolate. Anyway, since I had those beautiful strawberries, I thought that I would make Lemon Mousse and Berry Parfaits with pistachios...yum!

I started by making the mousse. A very simple technique. I used a half pint of heavy whipping cream, whipped until stiff peaks formed and then folded in a 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup (to taste) of lemon curd. (Trader Joe's has a fabulous lemon curd that I could eat by the spoonful right out of the jar.... )

I only had half a jar of lemon curd left, so no sneaking any with my spoon!

I love spring and all the beautiful fruits and vegetables it brings

I then sliced the strawberries and placed them in the bottom of a small glass and added a layer of the mousse, more strawberries, more mousse...you get the idea. Sprinkled the top of the parfait with chopped pistachios and garnished with a strawberry... It looks like springtime in a cup! And in keeping with my Sharffenberger themed holiday, I decided to serve Sharffenberger bubbly with dessert.

Good thing I made "extra" parfaits for any late night cravings...

The infamous "Sharffenberger".....

With my beautiful little parfaits all nestled in the icebox, the rest of meal was assembled, rosemary and garlic roasted beef with horseradish cream, roasted baby bella mushrooms and lemon grilled asparagus. Add wine, and our Easter Feast was complete.


Just in case on bottle isn't enough.....

10 comments:

Carrie™ said...

OK, Michelle, let me just say....one bottle is NEVER enough. I haven't seen those two bottles here. I love to cross border shop just to pick up some Californian wines that aren't available in Canada. That Cab Sauv would go down nice I'm sure, & Pinot Noir - MMMMMMMM!!! And bubbly! I love bubbly. I'll pass on the beef, but horseradish cream?!! Lemon Asparagus?! And the parfaits?!! OMG! I want to have Easter dinner with you. I didn't go to church either. I'm Anglican. We're like lazy Catholics. We still have communion & do the Oh Lamb of God stuff, but no confession & no rosary. Too much work.
BTW, no one questioned some of the names on my list which I knew you all wouldn't know. Adam Bentley was my high school sweetheart. Mike Palmateer was a goalie for the Leafs waaaaay back in the late 70's, Gordon Downie is the lead singer for the Tragically Hip - a kick ass Canadian band that you should check out, Rick Mercer is a Newfie (that's what we call someone from the province of Newfoundland) and he is one of the funniest people on the planet.
That post and question was one of the most fun things I've pondered over in a while. I gave Jim the question over dinner just to see who he would come up with. Mostly war people - UGH!

P.S. I want one of those t-shirts. I really am extra bitter.

Tanya Kristine said...

gee...all i got when i came over was orange vodka. you need to work on your welcoming skills :)

anre't i funny?

those parfaits look lovely. as does the horseradish and the stuff beneath it..shhhh...

Michelle Ann said...

Carrie, I saw from Kleo's blog that you have made it down to California before....you will have to visit Tanya and I here in Sacramento. We could take you to the chocolate factory for your very own t-shirt. As for your guest list, I would never invite my high-school sweetheart..he just reminds me of what a dork I was. And when I asked Craig the post question...he told me that he would have to get back to me....BORING!!!!

Tanya-I am so sorry for my lack of hostessing chops...If I remember, that get together was rather last minute. Maybe you should come over for dinner this weekend. I promise to be good...no meat. :)

Marc said...

I do love TJ's lemon curd. Rich, buttery, and tart.

Love the Scharffenberger shirt.

I will have to share a recipe for a fabulous baked chocolate custard that I would bet you would love.

It all sounded delicious!

pinknest said...

omg the parfaits are spectacular!!

buffalodick said...

It all looked pretty darn good! A Polish friend of mine always makes ground horseradish(not the creamed) sauce from root every Easter. This stuff when fresh will clear your neighbors' sinuses!

KleoPatra said...

i have two words for you, Ms. Michelle:

THE PARFAITS!

Deb said...

Oh my God, that meal made my mouth water. Fantastic!!

Michelle Ann said...

Marc-I tried making lemon curd and it was good, but not nearly as good as the TJ's curd. Less work and less money; it's a no-brainer. Yes, you will have to get me that chocolate custard recipe.

Pinknest & Kleo-the greatest thing about the parfait is that they are super easy and as long as the berries are sweet and ripe, you have a great dessert everytime. In the winter, I have used a high quality unsweetened jar of peaches...yum!

Buffalo-I am partial to a mind blowing horseradish, but Craig insisted that it would over-power the Pinot...he is king of the wine domain in our home. I bow to him on this one...

Deb-Welcome!! I tried to add recipes when I actually use one...from time to time, I just throw things together, wishing that I would have wrote it down.

Christo Gonzales said...

can those parfaits travel....like all the weay to new york?