One upside to winter in Chicago (and other parts of the Great Frozen North) is the 'simple pleasures' type of joy that citrus from the sunshine states can bring. Biting into a juicy orange is sweeter and more refreshing in a cold weather locale than it ever could be in a place with balmy temps and sunny skies year round. There’s an urgency to that orange in Chicago in January, you see, it becomes more than just fruit, it’s representative of summer yet to come. Eventually. Hang in there, li’l Windy City-ans, have a bite of sunshine to tide you over.
That was the thinking behind the Citrus theme for our recent Supper Club dinner party. Not super-difficult as themes go, but still a nice opportunity to explore the wide variety of citrus out there and create a wonderful meal from start to finish. As it turns out, we all leaned towards the classics and then added a few twists of our own.
How to Supreme Citrus Fruits - Part 1 |
- Ellyn – Cocktails: Clementine Negroni; Paloma; Assorted wines
- Karen & Kathleen – Appetizers: Fennel and Citrus Salad with Tuna Patties; Brie and Kumquat Chutney Toasts; and Lemon-Marinated Olives with Artichokes.
- Ilise & Ann – Main Course: Smoked Barley, Beet & Grapefruit Salad; Duck a l’Orange; Wild Rice Pilaf; Fennel with Blood Oranges
- Greg – Dessert: Lemon Meringue Tartlets; Lime-Basil Macarons; Blood Orange Polenta Cake; Assorted citrus-flavored liqueurs. (Dan was absent due to a business trip. We missed you, Dan!)