Today’s short post is about food and bringing the experience home, versus traveling out and about around Portland and the Northwest. This month was my wife Kay’s turn to host her Korean church group’s luncheon, and she asked me to put a little something together for them. Well, you gotta know that when you do that, you are going to get over-the-top and then some.
The day before the lunch party I went to Zupans, a Portland family-owned chain (3 stores) very high-end supermarket. They have what you need for exquisite dining, but it doesn’t come cheap. Kay’s church group has been really supportive of her though, so I wanted to reward them with only the best.
I put together a little signboard with the menu (if you can read my horrible handwriting) consisting of some appetizers, some sides, a main entree and dessert. I used Google Lens to have it translate to Korean as well (that image was only on the camera and didn’t exist IRL).
To get things going I set up a nice little charcuterie platter using the serving board that B3 and I made when he visited during his Spring Break earlier this year. I included a wedge of the Rogue River Blue, which was the World Champion #1 cheese at the World Cheese Awards in 2019/2020. It’s fabulous, but I wasn’t sure how the Koreans would take to it. By the end of the day, it was gone…
Along with the meat and cheese platter, I roasted some Bartlett pears, then melted some Truffled White Cheddar over them, topped with candied pecans and drizzled with a little honey and some Extravecchio Balsamic Vinegar that is just money. Next up were some BBQ glazed Italian Meatballs with microplaned Manchego that melted into the sauce and added a little creaminess and saltiness. Finally, two dozen Japanese oysters on ice with a champagne and shallot mignonette topped with a small drop of smoked chipotle Tobasco. We don’t have a lot of parties so our plateware isn’t exactly the best, but what we put on the plates is all that matters, and everyone seemed to really enjoy the starters.
Next up I prepared the entree…six pounds of prime Rib Eye Tomahawk. I seasoned them up with the standard salt, pepper, garlic (SPG), then also added a little Raspberry Chipotle rub that I have that gives it a little color and some pop. While the group was inside listening to the pastor’s talk, I headed out on a beautiful Portland afternoon to throw down some meat on my 600-degree Kamado Joe. After about 25 minutes I had 127-degree steaks ready to rest and come up to a perfect 135-degree medium-rare temperature.
Koreans generally tend to like their meat more on the well-done side, but there is only so far hospitality can extend and there was no way these chops were going to be over. I put together a nice parsley/basil chimichurri to spread on top (another item I’m sure they wouldn’t be familiar with, but absolutely devoured).
The Tomahawk was served up with some Brussels Sprouts sprinkled with crispy pancetta and balsamic (picture is before the final cook), an arugula and candied pecan salad, a garbanzo and squash cold salad and a Mexican street corn salad (the last two I didn’t prepare, but rather picked up from Zupan’s deli). Oh, I also roasted some baby fingerling potatoes with some French sea salt, but didn’t get a picture.
Koreans are not that big on dessert, so I kept it simple with a platter of Biscoff cookies and an assortment of Macarons from Le Petite Cafe along with espressos, cappuccinos and lates.
While there wasn’t a whole lot left over, I had picked up some disposable to go containers and a few of the guests filled them up. Overall, it was a very successful luncheon, and everyone left fatter and happier, which is how I like it.
Once everyone was gone I rewarded myself for a job well done with a cigar and whiskey by the fire.
