May 29th - Pineapple

To be honest, I was kind of dreading this night. Not  because of the guests, mind you, but because I was worried that I had an unbalanced menu that would be too heavy on the pineapple, and much, much too sweet. The menu was pineapple-mango salsa with homemade tortilla chips; tropical salad with pineapple vinaigrette; pork kabobs with tequila and pineapples; and pineapple rice. It turns out that my fears were unfounded. Despite the ubiquitous pineapple, I really thought this was manageable and not over the top. In fact, the pork kabobs turned out FANTASTIC. If you make one thing from this month, this perhaps should be it.

Pork Kabobs with Tequila and Pineapples
Makes 4 servings (from www.foodreference.com)

1/2 pound pork loin, in chunks
5 chili peppers, finely chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped
1/4 cup tequila
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 bell peppers, chopped in chunks
2 cups pineapple chunks, freshly chopped
12 cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 Tbsp lemon juice


Preparation
Mix chili peppers, garlic, ginger, oil, and tequila, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Place pork in a deep dish. Add the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 6 or more hours. Take out the pork chunks from the marinade and insert them onto metal skewers, alternative between bell peppers, pineapples, and cherry tomatoes. Place marinade in a pot and cook for 8 minutes to thicken slightly. Place over the grill until golden and pour marinade over the skewers continually.

Yum. I also was a fan of the homemade tortilla chips. Instead of frying them like usual (see pictures from earlier this month), I made them from flour tortillas this time around and baked them. Super easy: Brush both sides of tortillas with melted butter. Cut each tortilla into quarters and place on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees until crisp and light brown.

The guests included some old friends and some new ones. Amanda Phillips, one of Mike's old students and a wonderfully creative person, brought along her boyfriend Matt Leech, who turned out to be equally wonderful. Also joining us was Josh Baugher, the only person in Cafe Davis history to randomly find us on the internet (four or so years ago) and charm his way into a standing invitation. Josh also brought along his lovely girlfriend, Jamie Rae, who I hope to see around again. Definitely great people, and lots of great pineapple. Kudos to Josh for his delicious pineapple upside-down cake and to Amanda for her tasty pineapple cupcakes. Great bakers in our midst, folks.

(From L to R: Jamie, Josh, me, Amanda, Matt)

By the way... in case you're wondering where the food photos are, I forgot to take them. That's why Matt is posing with the extra pineapple. Just imagine its potential.