Recently I could enjoy and healthy celebrate my 75th birthday. WOW – what a number. It is  unbelievable how quick years are gone and time is running. Especially if you feel (in your brain) like a youngster. So, what to do with a round celebration date like this ?

First the starters, 3 different ones made. The above one is a smooth spread of self-made Madeira and chicken liver pate with a cherry tomato.

My hobby, of course, COOKING. But what and for how many people. Decision was made very quick. Just a small group of friends who enjoy a decent meal and honor the lot of work if one has cooked several courses. I could have invited many more people which I love and who deserved also to be indulged, but this time „the lot hit others“. Sorry guys !

Next of the 3 starters was a spread of self-made spicy cream cheese topped with teriyaki caramelized red onions. I was lucky to get from my local German bakery these fantastic integral crackers.

A list of about 20 dishes was cut down to 12 and then planned the shopping of ingredients, which is a real challenge in Uruguay. Not everything is available and if – then not at the time I need it, and and and. Furthermore we face at the lunch party about 30 degree Celsius, its still summer time down here and the dishes have to go well together with a hot day and should not overwhelm the stomach.

The 3rd of my starters were a spread of self-made herb-yogurt cream topped with miniature „Riga Gold Sprats“.  I found that rarity in Montevideo and I can tell you, they melt in your mouth, they are just fantastic.

The last part was precooking the dishes I’ve never made before and see how it goes and if there is a possibility to prepare as much as possible, that I can spend some time with my guests. As well I had to decide for the drinks, wines etc. During test-cooking I had to cancel about 5 dishes – too complicated for this time or not working out as I expected.

The pre-course was a slice of a self-made pork terrine with walnuts wrapped in prosciutto with sweet redcurrant jelly and spicy horseradish cream. It goes so well together.

Finally I made a menu of 10 different dishes (see my little menu card, I printed out) which, I thought, they can make an impression and indulge all of us, without being over the top. Sadly, with all the preparation work and cooking I forgot to make sufficient pictures, that’s why I use a few similar ones from my stock. See the result further down.

The next dish was a beetroot carpaccio on a bed of avocado foam with spicy horseradish greens. Here shown without the dressing. The dressing was a mixture of coconut-oil roasted nuts and an oil, lemon, dill, chive, poppy  salt and pepper combination.

To refresh the palate I served a chilled Thai salad made from green papaya, green mango, bean sprouts, fresh red paprika, coriander, peanuts and an Umami-dressing (Umami means a balance of the 4 „s“) of lime juice (sour), dark soy sauce (salty), brown sugar (sweet) and chilli sauce (spicy).

           What would be a nice lunch without a main course. I decided for a typical German one. Roasted pork filet on creamy Sauerkraut infused with Riesling champagne and smoked paprika powder, combined with hot cooked blue grapes. Sadly I forgot to make my own picture.

Accompanied was the Pork on Kraut from a big pan of Swiss Rösti, or as the french call this big pan full of roasted potato-onion mixture „Galette de Pomme de Terre“.

This desert course is so easy to make, but always soooo delicious. In Panko baked Camembert quarters with balsamic and honey caramelized plums, a sweet chilli sauce aside.

           Cocos tiramisu with in cocos-liqueur steered mango and pineapple compote, cocos biscuits and fresh whipped cream. Sadly I forgot to make my own picture.

                Left pic: These are the drinks we had. A wonderful tasty Rose Sekt from Germany, a deep golden fruity Chardonnay from Terrazas, Argentina and one of the great Tannat’s from Uruguay. The Garzon winery was just elected to one of the best winemakers in the world !! Click on pictures to supersize.

Right pic: These are the after lunch or/and going with coffee drinks we had. A great Italian Grappa and a very smooth, Cognac like, rum from Dominican Republic (rear row). At front a worth testing coffee liqueur and the most well known cocos liqueur in the world, Malibu, which I used for the desert. In the middle a fantastic tasting Destilado from our local winery Bouza, made from Tempranillo grapes. Click on pics to size up.

Marginally a little side story during a lunch break, when the ladies walked through our garden, they discovered the above seen tree. I never learned what kind of tree it is or any name or or …. pictures were taken and members of a garden club in Punta d. Este called.

       Because of the unusual feathery leaves and hard little fruit balls as well as the strange looking roots allover and around the tree, they discovered its a „Real Taxodium or Swamp Cypress“. Taxodium species grow pneumatophores, or cypress knees, when growing in or beside water. The function of these knees is currently a subject of ongoing research !!??

Never realized in 10 years living here, that we have such an interesting rarity (now about 15 meters tall)  in our garden, which is uncommon to Uruguay, normally at home in the swamps of Southern USA and Mexico. Wow, thanks guys for your great information. So much to read about this tree in Wikipedia or other internet sites.

O.K. guys, while writing this post, I have already so many ideas for a next „indulging get together“.  What ??

We all loved this get together, spending almost 6 hours chatting, eating, drinking, laughing and enjoying, to celebrate that afternoon and our friendship.
It’s not only cooking, its a lot and a lot more work around, all that I couldn’t have this day accomplished without the active assistance of my wife,   THANK YOU !
If you are interested in one or more of the recipe’s, just call in.
May be one of my last big meals I am able to offer my valued guests? No way!!!