Kristin was not able to go with me last night. She came home from work early with a migraine.
As it was, I had a wonderful time with a dear friend who could go with me instead and his wife was very jealous that he went when she had to sit in a meeting all evening!
The dinner and wine pairings were just amazing. I took some photos with my cell phone but they are less than optimal. I took my camera with me but no one else was hauling one out so I decided that under the circumstances it would not be appropriate.
(The photos of the beef and the cheese are so bad I am not even posting them!)
The menu featured five courses and the chef outdid himself. The wines were perfectly paired and I learned a thing or two about the winemaking business in Australia as well as how to think out of the box when choosing a wine to go with the food I am serving. David Powell, winemaker/owner of Torbreck Vineyards in the Barossa Valley was very interesting and stopped at every table multiple times during the evening.
Very briefly, this is what we had:
Course One ~ Green Gazpacho w/ Creme Fraiche
paired with a crisp, white wine - Torbreck The Woodcutter's" Semillon 2007 (bought a bottle)
Course Two ~ Creamy Mussel Soup w/ Saffron & Leeks
paired with a specialty red wine made for a wine bar in Paris - Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles Blend 2008 (bought a bottle)
Beehive Barely Buzzed Cheese Plate (this is a cheese that is dusted with coffee and was served with sesame crackers and fig preserves)
paired with Torbreck "The Struie" Shiraz 2006 (bought a bottle)
Course Three ~ Black-Pepper-Crusted Wagyu Steak with Black Truffle Vinaigrette and Beet Chips
paired with an amazing wine I will never afford - Torbreck "The Descendant" Shiraz/Viognier blend (I could have ordered a bottle for the discounted price of $110... amazingly, people were ordering cases. It was that good. And they have that much money, apparently.)
Course Four ~ Coeur à la Crème with Locally Grown Raspberry Sauce
paired with a sweet dessert white - Torbreck "The Bothie" 2008
for sleeping in and the time passing quickly for your cruise!
I don't have much on tap for the day. I plan to rearrange some of the things that I've packed and I'm working at 5 PM. I really need to go grocery shopping, but they may need to wait another day. I also need to get stuff together to throw in my brother's camper as we are camping with them for 2 nights at the Loudon race this weekend. This is as close to roughin it as I get. We have to take a generator for power, haul in water and use porta potties 
There are lots of activities surrounding the races so we certainly won't get bored.
Apparently they are expected to be $1.5-8 million. Guess at that point the whole $25,000 refundable deposit to be on the list of interested purchasers should be pocket change.
I have never seen them in person...too much fun. It is hotter than heck around here and the humidity is wrecking havoc with my head. 
Then we went for lunch & after that mattress shopping (yes my life is extremely exciting! 
