Abuela's birthday!

We have just celebrated my mother's 80th birthday. She came from Punta del Este, Uruguay, four weeks ago, and her birthday was the pretext for a family reunion. Even Tao had come from Amsterdam for the event!Two guests do not eat poultry or meat; I had therefore organized the menu around the sea. We started with a sea verrine (see this month's recipe on the right) which was fresh and light. The mother of pearl spoons bought in Bangkok 15 years ago were of a great effect! I placed the verrine on small saucers of a Chinese coffee set.
After the verrines I served king prawns with a side salad and home made mayonnaise. The salad was romaine lettuce that I had seasoned with a simple vinaigrette. After the cold appetizer, I served a vasque vegetable gratin in individual ramekins. Vasque vegetables include red and green peppers, onions, tomatoes cooked in olive oil. I seasoned with sea salt and piment d'Espelette, a chili from the Vasque region.

The main course was the delicious quenelles from my deli. I had made the sauce that goes with them with some lobster stock I had in the freezer, and light cream and dry white wine. I put on top some shrmps.

I did not serve a salad as I had presented it with the king prawns. And I skipped the traditional cheese because the weather was pretty hot in Paris and cheese is a bit too heavy.
After the quenelles, Abuela blew the eight candels that I had placed on my chocolate fondant - a recipe from my daughter Celine.
Jean -Louis served a chilled Macon Village white wine throughout the meal; I served Santos coffee my mother brought made in the Italian percolator after the meal.
All in all a lovely celebration!

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