A Select Dinner Party

Thursday, November 24, 2011

A consummate hostess to rival any, SO contributor Emma Sharp Dalton-Brown was gracious and gourmet-great alongside hubby Gregory Dalton-Brown as they entertained guests at an intimate dinner party at their St Andrew home last Wednesday. It was no run-of-the-mill dinner party. Dalton-Brown, the evening's hostess and chef, opted for a decidedly fresh approach, creating a menu that ingeniously incorporated wines and spirits from the recently launched Select Brands into every course served.

The roll call of guests was select and incidentally, included Select Brands principals Andrew Desnoes and David McConnell and their respective spouses, Natalie (Emma's childhood friend) and Tania.

With the table set on the balcony of the split-level abode, guests settled in to enjoy a wonderful four-course meal that was preceded by cocktails that included a pineapple spritzer made with Jägermeister; and Bloody Mary and basil soup shots.

As animated dinner conversation touched on a range of topics, from general election watch to the island's overseas investor climate and even trendy women's boutiques, dinner guests paused in-between courses to rave about each menu item and the wine pairing. Dinner commenced with home-made tagliatelle with a smoked salmon, escallion made with a vodka cream sauce — that was served with a Bolla Pinot Grigio.

The palate cleanser came next — a pineapple, lime and gin sorbet made with Hendrick's gin. It was unanimous around the table about the main course: deeeeelicious!

Made with Glenfiddich scotch, the marinated sage, garlic and whisky pork with roasted pumpkin, sage and whisky risotto was divine to the last forkful. Guests were afforded a choice of Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc or a Robert Mondavi Pinto Noir.

Dalton-Brown's home-made ice cream desserts providing a perfect cap to the evening, there were in fact a trio of desserts — homemade Jägermeister and vanilla ice cream with shortbread and kiwi fruit; BeeHive brandy-infused banana bread with home-made chocolate ice cream and brandy toffee sauce; and an Apple Brandy mousse. Each sinfully decadent and impossible to ignore.

Thursday Food shares scenes from the 'Select' dinner party. Each recipe as well as Emma's tips on entertaining (we loved how things were so organised that our hostess was able to enjoy the evening as much as us) will be presented in our much-anticipated Christmas Cookbook available next month.

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A Select Dinner Party