Peter and Luis are my dream buddies, like Auntie Mame on steroids x2. They’re not only well-read, brilliant conversationalists, pop culture vultures, and fabulous cooks, their interests extend to all levels of human experience, but most passionately towards the decorative arts. They’re currently focused on mid-Century modern, with a Southern Song twist. Every time I go to their house, there’s some fabulous new piece of furniture, pottery, or pepper mill that is the most rare and exquisite example of its type. Tonight I was swept into their living room for a viewing of not one but two pristine vintage Hans Wegner Pappa Bear chairs. My envy was easily suppressed by the knowledge that I will get first dibs at their hand-me-downs when they move on to another era. They’ve been together for 100 years, my best friends for half my life. They decided on Range, another new American cuisine restaurant in the Mission, for the setting of my sixth intimate 40th birthday dinner. It was a pretty wonderful meal. I started out with the chicken liver pate, served with crispy toasts and an arugula salad. Lord bless the many chickens who gave their livers to treat my palette to such a divine sensation. For my main course I had the lamb shank served with Israeli cous cous that was cooked with chard and chevre, almost a risotto. The lamb just fell off the bone, tender and moist and flavorful, but the intense sauce overwhelmed the lamb-iness a bit. By the time we got to desert, which included a chocolate cake, a souffle, and a waffle of sorts, and a wonderful bubbling muscat that the staff treated us to, I was pretty overwhelmed by the many delightful flavors and sensations, and quite ready to drop dead. Which I’m going to do now.
Next chapter: the Last Supper, with Philip.
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Birthday Suit #6
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Luis | Peter |