Flutterby™! : Nancy Loves Me. 2006-11-04 07:15:58.411303+00

Nancy Loves Me.

2006-11-04 07:15:58.411303+00 by meuon 4 comments

Being loved is something expressed and experienced in many small but significant ways, every day. Some things are a little more mentionable and sharable, and with all the talk about food, lately, I need to share what Nancy treated me to last night:

At the Back Inn Cafe, Bluff View Art District in Chattanooga, the First Annual Wild Game Dinner started with a Sparkling Shiraz which Nancy liked.

1st course: Grilled Honey Quail Skewer, Roasted Beef Tongue with Butterpepper Sauce, Wild Trout Sausage with Crayfish Sauce. Served with Falchini Vernaccia (wine).

The next course was Country Fried Ostrich with Fresh Persimmon, and a very good Frei Brothers Chardonnay. I really liked the taste of the Ostrich, frying it was great with the sauce it was in, but left me wanting to try Ostrich again, not deep fried.

Next, a wonderful Turtle Soup, au Sherry and Lotus Roots, Leeks and Red Potatoes. It was nothing like the Turtle Soup my GrandMother made, which was a heavier brown soup. This was light and tasty. The wine was a dry Chianti.

The Smoked Muscovy Duck Breast, with baby greens, julienne beets and fresh figs was easily the best duck I've ever had. It had a great flavor and texture. The Aresti Pinot Noir was good with it.

Finally, the main course (like we were starving..) Grilled Buffalo Tenderloin with creamy barley potatoes, mushrooms and a balsamic garlic sauce. I like the Buffalo, it was very lean, yet had a great taste and even cooked medium at the Chef's reccomendation, cut with a fork. The Chateau Greysac, Medoc was good.

Desert was awesome, a Pear Walnut Tart that was not overly sweetened or spiced, was a light complement to the cognac soaked black mission figs and wonderful cream sauce. The Jonesy Tawny Port was sweet and fruity, and Nancy really liked the taste. It's sweet and spicy like she is... :)

Neither Nancy or I are drinkers... so while we sampled the wine, there was a lot on the table when we were done, Other tables drank every drop. It was a wonderful dinner, a lot of food and drink, served well (great presentation and service), with anecdotes about the food and wine being shared at every course and the Chef receiving a round of applause on his joining us at the end.

Gotta burn some calories tomorrow... on a beautiful fall day it won't be hard to find a way.

I really liked the taste of the Ostrich, frying it was great with the sauce it was in, but left me wanting to try Ostrich again, not deep fried.

I think I mentioned ostrich as a comment on one of the food threads here just this week! I do adore a properly cooked ostrich steak (haven't ever had it *deep-fried* (?!) ) and am searching for a reliable source of same, preferably local. I'm told there used to be ostrich ranches in the Los Gatos Mountains here, but I guess they just didn't catch on. I found a couple sent-in-dry-ice suppliers online but am a little hesitant to buy through them. If you take an interest and find a source, meuon, I'd appreciate a pointer.

There's a vet down the street that has several Emu's out back and there's even someone at the Boulder Farmer's Market every week with Emu eggs.

I've been told that herding ostrich or emus is flat-out crazy. Evidently they just hop right over standard fences, can run something like 45mph and can turn on a dime.

Obviously I've been headed towards a foodie kick of late, and that sounds really tasty. I haven't had tongue in ages (it was one of those things that my oma served occasionally, in thin slices with a good mustard), so how was the butterpepper sauce?

I've poked around trying to find local ostrich and haven't, although I know that in the late '90s there was a place that served ostrich burgers around here. Haven't seen it lately, though.

the Tongue was good, a little chewy, but very good tasting. I could see tongue liced thin with good mustard. As for sources for ostrich.. not a clue.