Villa St. Benedict's TASTE in August

This month's theme was all about the "Taste Buds". I incorporated as many tastes and textures into this menu as I could but also ensuring that the flavor profiles worked together. I began the tasting with a cranberry-spritzer which was sparkling wine, triple-sec and cranberry juice. This was intended on waking up the taste buds.

The first dish was called " fit for a king " which included duck liver pate with a cranberry-fig marmalade jelly, the " Lobsterccino" homemade intense flavored lobster bisque with a white truffle flavored milk foam, chive oil and a grilled shrimp skewer.

The second dish was called "Mediaeval surf and turf " I did a duo of braised pork cheeks au jus with butter sautéed rainbow trout and tied the dish together with a turnip-potato puree and fried leeks.

The third dish was called " Raspberries and Cream " I made a jelly roll with fresh raspberry jam and served it over Crème Anglaise sauce and did a milk chocolate bar to garnish the dish.

This taste was very labor intensive but well worth the effort. This month is going to be "Chef's Favorites", my birthday was Saturday so it's everything I like eating. I'm seeing Guinness, Chocolate and Sweet Corn in the next menu.