Rachelle, Miko, Naoko (plus baby!)

Back: Caroline, Rachelle, Miko, Naoko, Cory. Front: Krystyn, Winnie

See Duff butting in on the left side?

Dallas’s Cousins & Cousin’s Wives. Back: Caroline, Rachelle, Miko, Naoko, Cory. Front: Duff, Heather, Krystyn, Winnie.

Mom & Me

Aunty Laura, Aunty Glenna, Aunty Gail

Aunty Karolyn, Aunty Peggie, Aunty Laura, Aunty Glenna, Aunty Gail

The Sunday after Christmas Dallas’s family threw me a bridal shower. Aunty Laura hosted at her house, along with daughter and daughters-in-law, Cory, Caroline, and Krystyn. Aunty Laura’s son Danny, who cooks at Spring and Green Zebra, cooked for all of us ladies. A lot of Dallas’s family had flown in for Christmas (they do every other year), so a lot of them were able to attend the shower. Aunty Laura was also nice enough to invite my mom and she was able to make it. All-in-all there were about a dozen of Dallas’s aunties and cousins and cousin’s wives.

Shower Gifts

Opening up my new teapot.

Aunty Laura

Yay! Food Processor!

Aunty Glenna, Cory, Aunty Gail, Aunty Laura, Mom

Opening the big gifts.

Aunty Gail

Aunty Laura, Mom, Karolyn, Krystyn, Winnie, Peggie, Caroline

New Luggage

So many great gifts!

Dallas’s family generously gifted us with a new set of Tumi luggage, a food processor and a tea pot. I was so excited about all of these. The luggage will, of course, be great for our upcoming trip to Hawaii and for all of the other travel that we do. This looks like great luggage and I’m sure we’ll have it for years to come. I’m excited to get rid of our mish mash, ramshackle luggage that we’ve been using for so long. As for the food processor, I’ve always wanted one and now we have one. This will for sure come in handy in our kitchen adventures. And the tea pot.. it’s just so pretty. We don’t drink a ton of tea, but there are other uses for tea pots and I’ve always wanted one of my own. Also, before the shower my parents gave Dallas and I a new printer. It’s wireless and I set it up last night. Love it! Thank you, everyone, for the fabulous gifts!

Danny working in the kitchen.

Danny plating the food.

There were dessert trays on the table. We ate dessert between courses! This was my sweet tooth party, after all!

Tuna Tartare, chives, cashews, scallions, ginger/lemongrass cream

Danny explaining the next course.

Cory made these brownies and lemon bars. Lemon is a palate cleanser, right?

Danny came out of the kitchen to explain each course to us.

Kabocha squash soup, apple, blue cheese foam

Cory also made these cream puffs and cookies.

Pork belly, parsnip/apple puree, smoked balsamic reduction, hard cooked egg, smoked potato puree, truffle aioli

Naoko’s cheesecake with berry sauce.

While all of the ladies were visiting and opening gifts in the living room, Danny was working away in the kitchen. He prepared a 3-course lunch for us that was probably one of the fanciest meals I’ve eaten at someone’s house!

For the first course we had tuna tartare with chives, cashews, scallions and a ginger and lemongrass cream. This was delicious. I loved how the cashews gave some crunch to the tartare. I don’t think I’ve ever had nuts in tartare before. For the second course we had Kabocha squash (Japanese winter squash) soup with blue cheese foam and apple batons. This was so rich and delicious. The blue cheese foam was perfect and the apples lent a crunch and sweetness. For the final course we had pork belly with parsnip and apple puree, a smoked balsamic reduction, and a hard cooked egg filled with smoked potato puree and truffle aioli. This looked so pretty on the plate and, of course, tasted just as good. I don’t know how pork belly is prepared or cooked, but it was great. and I love anything with truffle… especially aioli, a.k.a mayonnaise!

If Danny is the chef of the family, Naoko is the baker, for sure! For dessert she made a cheesecake with berry sauce that was divine. I thought I was too full to eat a slice but it was so light, not heavy at all, so delicious.

Thanks to everyone for pulling together and throwing the fabulous party for me. I should also mention that Cory made the dessert trays we had on the table and that she and Caroline and Krystyn served as the waitresses for lunch. Thanks to Aunty Laura for hosting at her house and for coordinating everything. And thanks to Danny and Naoko for cooking and baking such a great lunch. Thanks to Heather who took most of these photos. And to everyone for the awesome gifts!

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