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Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she’ll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she’ll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she’ll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she’ll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.

– Unknown author

At the end of October, it was my month again to pick for the monthly outing of the Happy Mouth Supper Club. I selected the Iron Horse Inn, which has newly reopened in Glendale after being closed for a while. Chef Stefan Marcus is at the stove, and does a very nice job!

Almost the entire Happy Mouth group was there (with a few guests: Beth, Julie, and Terry) and we were seated downstairs in the restaurant’s formal dining room. Our server took exceptional care of us all night.

We started with a mussels appetizer compliments of the Chef, then went into other appetizers — the excellent Red Pepper Bisque and the night’s special soup of Creamed Spinach and Cognac. Both were awesome, as were the Lobster Strudles we enjoyed. Afterward, Chef sent out a small green salad with duck confit. The salad was lightly dressed, and the duck confit was very tasty.

After that, it was into entrees. Everyone fell quiet, which is a sure sign that people are enjoying their meals quite a bit! Desserts were great, too!

The following is Chef Alan Neace’s Category A Entry in the 2008 International Culinary Olympics in Erfurt Germany. Photos after the jump.

• Turkey Platter for Eight
  • Nadine Roasted Turkey Breast
  • Tewis Style Corned Turkey Thigh
  • Applewood Smoked and Stuffed Burlington Wing
  • Kinsella Neck Sausage with Dried Fruit
  • Celery and Golden Raisin Salad
  • Marinated Haricot Vert
  • Markham Poached Pears with Stilton Mousse
  • Spiced Peach Chutney
  • Creamy Chive Herb Sauce
• Kent Island Fruits de Mer
  Sole, lobster, and mussels, warm herb scented tomato water, concasser, corn, and cucumber noodles.
• Phillipe Foie Gras Trio
  Terrine with pickled sweet potato tear drops and orange pomegranate reduction; Torchon with aged balsamic, roasted figs, appled and  petite greens; Mousse atop toasted fennel scented brioche, grey sea salt, and caramelized apple.
• Kentucky Rabbit
  Roasted rack of Owensborough-raised rabbit, fine herb farce, rich rabbit jus, warm roasted beet, and almond leg croquette atop warm sweet and sour red potato.
• St. Rona’s Divers Plate
  Sea scallop and serrano paired with snow crab agnolloti, bokchoy, spaghetti squash, fava beans, orange herb reduction and a Soubise citrus sauce.
• Duck Vonden Bancon Style
  Duck Osso Bucco style with pinot noir braising sauce paired with a hot smoked shiitake barded breast, celeriac puree, butternut squash, zucchini and rutabaga, cranberry compote.
• Vegetarian Splendor
  Grilled portabella with florentine panada, warm sumac crusted calypso bean sausage, crispy polenta with gorgonzola, asparagus and sundried tomato, black mustard seed and smoked tomato jam, and green curry.

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The following is Chef Greg Skibinski’s Category B Entry in the 2008 International Culinary Olympics in Erfurt Germany. Photos after the jump.

• West Side Three Course Meal
  • Smoke Roasted Squab Breast with Cucumber
  • Black Peppercorn Creamy Herb Sauce=-=-
  • Poached Lobster Tail with Corn Custard and Turned Potatoes in Broth=-=-
  • Grand Marnier Mousse with Macerated Fruit and Duet of Passion Fruit and Pomegranate Sauces
• Owensville Duck Platter for Two
  • Roasted Leg of Duck
  • Duck Breast and Shiitake
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Vegetable Accompaniment
  • Essence of Orange Duck Jus
• St. Omar Wild Boar Chop
  • Cous Cous
  • Vegetable Medley
  • Natural Jus
• Mediterranean Roulade
  • Turkey Tenderloin
  • Poached Pear
  • Polenta
  • Haricot Vert
  • Turkey Reduction
• Quinoa a la Quito
  • Quinoa Stuffed Cabbage Wrap
  • Vegetable Terrine
  • Stuffed Portabella Mushroom
  • Sweet Chili Sauce
• Terra Haute Striped Bass
  • Onion Tart
  • Rutabega
  • Fennel Sauce

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This resounded with me today…

“Play: Work that you enjoy doing for nothing.” — Evan Esar