Happy Birthday to UtHC and a Giveaway Present for You!
Today we are celebrating two years of blogging! Hip hip hooray! Go ahead, give us a pat on the back. I’m so excited about this post! Don’t go anywhere!
I was thinking last night about how I wanted to sum up this past year of blogging. I was imagining how I would go on and on about how busy the year was, how I wasn’t sure how we would get over the hump (sorry, bad pun) of having a baby and how that would affect my blogging time, but shucks, who wants to read about all that?The bottom line is: I’m still here and more importantly, so are you!
I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to my readers, both those of you who have been with me since day one and the new arrivals; you guys are the best!
There are two things I would like to do for you to show my appreciation, one is a virtual dinner party that you are all invited to (also to showcase a few dishes from this past year) and second, a fantastic giveaway that I intend to ship anywhere in the world (or deliver in person if the lucky winner is local)!! So, hurry, cancel whatever you were doing tonight, and get over here!
First up: Dinner Party
I’ve said before, picking a favorite dish or post on Under the High Chair is like being asked who I love more, Noah or Mateo: completely impossible to answer. So don’t consider these dishes to be my final word on my ultimate best dish, but more like recipes I can’t get enough of, my fall-back dishes for entertaining and food that is just so good you forget all your troubles.
So come on in and kick your shoes off!
I would love to wake up your palate with my most seductive amuse bouche, Foie Gras Sushi with Pears and Ice Cider Reduction. Enjoy it while you are curled up on the sofa or perched on my piano bench; it’s a perfect way to start the evening.
A glass of chilled ice cider goes with it and a few napkins; it’s pretty messy and meant to be eaten in two big bites. No nibbling here! It’s important to get all the components – nori, rice, wasabi, pear, seared foie gras and ice cider reduction – in your mouth at the same time. Cheers!
Leave your glass at the sink and please take a place at the table!
If you found the sushi very rich, you were absolutely right, but now here is a crisp, fresh appetizer with enough acidity to make your taste buds pucker: Winter Salad of Russet Apple, Pomegranate and Toasted Pecans with a Picked Shallot and Apple Cider Vinaigrette. Here’s a reminder that fall is just around the corner!
Russet apples happen to be my favorite, but any kind of apple would be lovely in this salad. Cipollini onions are also great instead of shallots, thinly sliced into pretty half moon wedges.
Excuse me for a moment, while I take this focaccia out of the oven. It’s best served piping hot, and so easy to make, I whipped it up during the boys’ nap time so we could enjoy it with our pasta.
Yeah, there’s a story to go along with it about how I got started in professional cooking over ten years ago.
What? You can’t believe I had time to make bread? For you, anything!
As a rule I don’t usually make pasta for guests–it’s so weekday dinner, but, mama mia, this recipe for Seafood Creole Tagliatelle is unlike any pasta you have ever tasted. I should have been grilling all summer long, but instead I found myself, night after night, grinding spices, peeling shrimp and stirring together this decadent dish. Many guests partook of it at my table, and although I tried every time to make extra so we could have leftovers, there was never one noodle left. Even my not-so-adventurous father-in-law (love ya, B!) had third helpings and when offered my famous Caesar salad, said “No thanks, I’m just going to eat pasta until I explode.”
‘Nuff said. Enjoy!
Well, I hope you still have some room left. Let me just warm up my espresso machine. Since this is a virtual dinner party anyway, we’ll pretend I have that $6000 Jura X9 I was drooling over the other day at my fave kitchen store. Espresso or chai latte? The latter would go better with our dessert.
I love pairing spices with chocolate, and this decadent Chocolate Chai Cheesecake is a perfect example. Not a very glamorous dessert (cheesecakes always seem kind of stodgy to me) but you’ll be won over with the first bite.
You can undo the button on your jeans if you have to, I won’t tell anyone; I know, I’m stuffed too!
Don’t worry about the dishes, I never let my guests do them. Shoo.
Thanks for joining me for this birthday dinner! Cheers!
And now for the giveaway!
I wanted to do this for my birthday, but for one reason or another, it didn’t happen; fortunately this is the perfect opportunity to make your day and introduce you to some products from my friend, Philippe de Vienne. I’ve talked about him enough around here so he really doesn’t need an introduction.
Longtime staples in my kitchen– and in professional gourmet kitchens around town–this spice kit will leave you begging for more! This little package contains staples like cumin and cardamom, but also includes some more exotic spices such as long pepper, which is a stunning addition to this Milk Chocolate Pudding— but there I go again with my chocolate and spice fad.
To win this “Kitchen 101-Base Spices” starter kit all you have to do is leave a comment between today, Saturday, September 6 and Saturday, September 13.
I will do a random draw of your names and notify the winner here on Sunday. As I said before, I’ll ship anywhere in the world, and if the lucky winner is local, I will deliver it in person if you wish.
Please no anonymous comments, that’s so boring. Good luck!
Ed Note: If you missed the first year of Under the High Chair, this post sums it up for you in a nutshell. There’s even a fancy-shmancy slide show for your viewing pleasure!
Happy 2nd Anniversary! Now, let’s celebrate by enjoying a slice of that Chocolate Chai Cheesecake!
Happy Birthday!
That chocoolate-chai cheesecake is going on my food to-do list.
HappyBirthday!
Happy Blog-Birthday! The dishes you’ve posted look amazing.
happy birthday and anniversary!
you just found yourself a new reader…found you from tastespotting.
[email protected]
That focaccia looks great! Man, I need to get started making my own bread. Happy birthday! 🙂
That focaccia looks great! Man, I need to get started making my own bread. Happy birthday! 🙂
http://www.goveg.com/feat/foie/
Happy Blog Birthday! Your virtual meal sounds incredible, and I didn’t find any part of that cheesecake to be stodgy. I would love to win that set of spices!
Happy Anniversary!
Mmm, foccacia <3
What a fabulous sounding dinner. Now if only it was prepared and in my house ready for eating!
Happy blog birthday.
The foccacia looks delicious! I will have to try that soon. Happy Birthday!
Wow… found your site via Tastespotting.
That spice kit looks totally awesome and if I’m not lucky enough to win one, I’ll just have to go buy one.
But I’ll take a chance here first!
Awesome recipes you’ve got here!
Happy Blog Birthday!! Cheers to many more!
Huzzah for tastespotting! Looks fab, I wish i trusted my oven enough to cook focaccia in it.
Foie Gras Sushi looks incredible!
(I’m squinting at those spices, trying to figure out what they are. Details?)
Gorgeous, that sushi is amazing! Happy Birthday and congrats on two years of blogging!
Happy Birthday. I am impressed with your photos, your recipes and your delightful sense of humor. Long may you rave
Happy Birthday! What an amazing giveaway!
Cocolate + chai + cheesecake = teh win!
happy blogeversary!!
Happy B^2-day! I love your Seafood Creole Tagliatelle – it looks delicious!
Happy birthday!
awwwww happy blogiversary!
I’m a fresh college student in need of some help to get my kitchen started! These would really be helpful to me. Love your blog!
must have spices.
happy second bday!
Happy 2nd Birthday! This is the 2nd time I’ve celebrated a 2nd birthday this weekend – a little boy’s and yours. 🙂
happy “blirthday”
I will have to try both the salad and the cheesecake, both look absolutely amazing. I mush admit that I “Stumbleuponed” this blog, but it is definitely being filed away under my favourites.
Happy Blogoversary!!!
Cheers,
Christina
[email protected]
oooh, pretty spices.
happy anniversary!
Happy 2nd Birthday! Your an inspiration to us all!
it all looks amazing!
Oh my goodness I’m such a sucker for a delicious focaccia! Thank you for the tasty tips, and may you get many tasty birthday wishes too!
happy blog birthday!
[email protected]
I just found your blog. I can’t wait to waste the rest of my evening browsing through it. The dishes can wait til morning! LOL! Happy Blog Birthday!
Happy Blog*Birthday!
Your virtual dinner was amazing 😉
Happy Anniversary. I love spices! (and, I’ll admit, I just found your blog because of the spices but am intrigued and am sure to keep reading.)
That cheesecake looks phenomenal, I can’t wait to try it!
I’m so glad I found your site! I love finding new, delicious food sites.
good luck with your third year!
Congrats on 2 years!
I’ll definitely be partaking in dinner…what can I bring 😉
good luck!
congrats!! and here is to many many more!!
jonathan
dailydesignspot.com
Happy Birthday and may your wonderful site celebrate many more! I just ate, but your dinner party has me hungry again!
Love the look of the pasta and cheesecake…heading for summer here so great recipes to try…Happy Blog Birthday 🙂
Happy blogiversary! That sounds divine!
Thanks for the dinner party! Very inspiring. Go new spices!
I’m going for the personal delivery! Congratulations! Love you,
Your favourite husband.
Two years of blogging, wow, I hope I can get to one year intact! Congrats Aimée, everything always looks fabulous and I look forward to your next two years worth of posts! 🙂
Congratulations. A great idea with the giveaway! I have two little girls and completely understand about time constraints.
You have beautiful food!