cake + champagne & some food
Thus the title of a little invitation to a few good friends in Seattle. I threw a party to celebrate my 34th birthday, because after all, a birthday requires a celebration. And I felt the best celebration for me, this year, involved champagne and cake (from Coco, of course) and some food, to tamper the effects of the champane.
Using Cooks pizza dough recipe as a base - which required a certain amount of thought around timing since I was dealing with yeast - I made several varieties of pizza. Truffled mushroom, potato and garlic, margarita, sausage, caramelized onion and red peppers, and mushroom and caramelized onion, I think. It was fun - throwing ingredients together and tasting the results. I had a slice of each, my favorite was the truffled mushroom. Plus, there were some appetizers of the cheese and olive variety and Lee's dainty little sandwiches with avocado mousse and tuna spread. (Cheese was the always excellent Arina Goat Gouda; sadly, the Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk was spoiled and did not have that pleasant cheese smell, but something unpleasant best not explained).
Dessert. I was so enchanted by the Loveless Cake at Coco la ti da, I ordered one for my birthday. Sue made a fabulous cake, three layers of chocolate cake, with a layer of strawberry buttercream and another of vanilla buttercream, encased in pink fondant (with specks of gold!), and decorated with three marizapan strawberries. (pictures posted someday. maybe). The cake was beautiful, elegant and delicious.
Champagne flowed freely. We began with Freixent Brut, then moved to a Domaine St. Michelle from Columbia Valley to a Cristallino Rose Brut to a Rive Della Prosecco to a Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose (my favorite, I discovered in one of my SF adventures and have a funny story that goes along). I was going to open a bottle of Sofia (also available in dainty pink cans with straws!), until Jill wisely pointed out that we'd had a lot to drink and best to go with less expensive alcohol. Thus, some port.
In a side note, Lee goes down in history as the first of my friends to spill drink on my couch. Luckily, quick blotting action and clear colors meant zero damage to the couch. I always thought that Carrie would be the first, with a bright pink cosmo, but alas, the award goes to Lee. Congrats!
Thank you Jill and Jamie, Asra and Hani, (the newly engaged) Gavin and Elaine, Lee Dicks and Alan for a fabulous birthday party! I can't think of a better way to start 34.