Day Three - Matter of Taste, Pasta and Salad

Today I picked the spring menu in the Matter of Taste Cookbook, which consisted of :

• Peppery Lettuce Salad with Hazelnut Parmesan Crisps
• Pasta with Asparagus, Oyster Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
• and Instant Coconut Cream Tart

I went with the spring menu since it also indicated that this menu was fast and fresh.  I had a hectic day and time was not on my side, so this selection seemed perfect.  One catch.....I lucked out when I went grocery shopping today.  I FOUND KEY LIMES!!!! Actual Key Limes.  I felt like I had won the lottery.  I never really saw a true key lime.  I couldn't leave the store without buying a bag.  So I changed the dessert to Key Lime Squares of course.  When I cut those limes open....hmmmmmmmmm.  They smelled soooo fresh and tropical, I was beside myself.

The complete meal was quick and easy to make, even the Key Lime Squares.  The pasta with goat cheese was smooth and tasty.  I could have eaten the full pot, but of course I didn't.  The salad was a great match for the main course and it took seconds to make.  Now the Key Lime Squares......... They were delicious.  I had to stop my self at one since they are very rich.  Let me tell you, the taste of those key limes hit my pallet like lobster and butter. (My mouth is watering) I may just have to get another square before bed.

As you can tell.  I loved this meal.  It was light (spring like) and refreshing.  With a bit more effort with the presentation on my part, it could be a real nice meal for your guest.  And as the book suggested, pair this dish with a nice crisp, cold Pinot Grigio and you're in heaven.

I'll be making this dish again soon. For Sure!  The only thing I'll do differently, is start the sauce while guest are at the table enjoying their first course.  Today I combined the sauce with the pasta too early.  I ended up getting a request for sausages from my son, so the pasta and sauce had to sit a bit longer than it should have. It tasted great just the same, but it lost it's creamy consistency.  I added a bit more goat cheese and cream to bring it back to life.

Tomorrow I'm going to attempt the Duck Breasts with Dried Cherries and Crisp-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes.  I have had a craving for Duck for sometime.  So I hope this meets my expectations, because I know I'll be dreaming about it all night.


The Cookbook Addict