Ron Silliman 2007

This is It : A menu poem in 26 courses

A dinner of 26 courses? Can you do that? Of course, of course.

But yes, I have an answer for everything. And you are going to get a taste of a little bit of everything. In honor of Ron I really twisted my mind around what is possible for a meal, well a virtual meal.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and this we cannot eat, but we could, if we wanted to. Each of these dishes can be prepared by me and are in the repertoire prepared at my day job. The meal is planned out for an allevening event and would be portioned out with great care so that even the most delicate of attendees would see all 26 courses in style.

The title comes from the last line in my favorite Silliman poem, “The Chinese Notebook,” number 223.

Enjoy,
Geoffrey Gatza

Ron Silliman : Thanksgiving 2007 A menu poem in 26 courses

Thanksgiving Menu

A Table Alphabeticall

a. Amuse Bouche – Ramboutan Dusted In Grains Of Paradise

b. Champagne Toast, Osetra Caviar On Buckwheat Pages

c. Parmesan Oysters And Horseradish Whipped Cream

d. Shaved Kobe Beef And Braised Onions On Grilled Brioche With An Emmenthaler Gratin.

e. Lobster Cornbread Fritters, Yellow Pepper Coulis

f. Chilled Dragon Pearl Soup

g. Grilled Radicchio, Tomato Confit & Charred Bok Choy

h. Hot And Sour Soup

i. Tarragon Escargot With Lemon Asparagus Salad

j. Golden Risotto And Plum Sesame Seeds

k. Hass Avocado Sorbet With Lemon And Poppy Seeds

l. Monkfish Roulade & Blood Orange Reduction

m. Ahi Tuna, Radish Slivers And Elderflower Syrup

n. Kona Kampachi And Passion Fruit Geleé

o. Brick Roasted Poussin With A Piquant Bourbon Fig Jus

p. West Virginia Free Range Turkey And Cornbread Dressing

q. Trompette De La Mort And White Truffle Salad

r. Georgia Peach And Smoked Duck Cassoulet

s. Pumpkin Roasted In A Banana Leaf With Thai Lime

t. Garlic & Guava Glazed Lamb With New Potato

u. Peppercorn Venison And Bay Poached Pear

v. Cornucopia Of World Cheeses, Spiced Cashews & Port

w. Twice Baked Apple In Double Cream

x. Meyer Lemon Tart

y. Chocolate Bursting Bomb

z. Ron Syllabub

The First English Dictionary, 1604 (distributed by the University of Chicago Press), the work was originally published under the title A Table Alphabeticall. It was compiled in the late 16th century by Robert Cawdrey. Oddly amusing is the title page refered to this a guide to “hard usuall English wordes” that readers sometimes encountered “in Scripture, Sermons, or elswhere.”