Okay, want the scoop on Velva of Tomatoes On The Vine?
- She has a beautiful house
- A wonderful Martini Shaker named Fred (husband)
- Can put together a dinner party like no tomorrow
- Cooks great food, along with Fred
- Have great funny friends who kept us laughing
- She IS one of the best tomatoes on the vine!
The food, especially the shrimp, onion, capers, with olive oil and lemon dish (on the left) was the bomb! Well, that is until she began making a curried chicken dish over rice, then finished us off with Tres Leches Cake. One of hubby's favorites! (my camera died on the trip, so I had to use hubby's old one, thus the dark photo)
They truly made our trip. I would hope she would have us back again, as I would love for her to visit Princeton. That family is a well oiled machine!
Now- I thought about duplicating her recipe for the Curried Chicken dish she served us, but ripe mango was calling on the counter so I went for Spicy Mango Chicken. However it was too late to run to the market when I realized I did not have enough rice. Hubby asked if I had Farro, as he loves it. So, as usual Italian meets Thai. This dish worked out so well, and I will be making it again!
Now mind you this is not the same dish, but you can only imagine her jumping in the conversation as I watched her prepare toasted nuts on the stove, while she prepped a wok with seasonings (working effortlessly with Fred in unison to get us feed in a timely manner), put chicken into the mixture, and began to simmer the most aromatic curry.
Velva took rice from the steamer, and carefully placing it on a large platter, it was then covered with this succulent chicken and its sauce. topped off with the nuts and other beautiful garnish- we feasted upon the patio while great wine and conversation flowed down the long table. Rain had graced the area earlier that day, so it made for a wonderfully cool and pleasant evening. Did I mention their friends were a double hoot. My hubby and the other guest wife were out of control, and from what I hear her usual quiet self, and hubby's as well (I hardly said a word, yeah I know, but believe it!).
This evening the duplicated Velva meal does not look quit the same, but in the best way possible with mango curry infused chicken stock over chicken breast, slowly cooked in the wok, and placed upon the farro- then topped of with what I could muster up to emanate that fond garnish memory was as close as I could get.
Hospitality in the highest (Chris @ Nibble Me This in TN I have to say, provided the same).
Thanks Fred and Velva for showing us a wonderful time!
I am on my way out the door to buy myself a new camera- three years of my Nikon 8.1, but now I will be a kid in a candy store, and am hoping my days of that light box may be over!
