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303--California: 7-Courses on $10 Million @ CherieSpotting     Aug 01 2005 - 08:26 PST cherie writes: What has 11 heads, weighs 430 tons, and is worth $10 million dollars? The yacht we had the privilege of enjoying a 7-course meal aboard. As Andre Simon said: “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost; united and well matched they are as body and soul, living partners.” While it is possible to eat too much and to drink too much, it is not possible to laugh too much. Click to see our decadent menu designed and prepared by Master Chef Chris Panek. Panek prepares true soul food--food that nourishes the soul. We started with cocktails on deck—vodka tonics. Then we moved to the bar where Chris served Caitlyn, Jean and I our first Course: an herb encrusted seared Ahi served with a lemon and shallot compote. For Course 2 we moved to the dining room with a crisp glass of Gewurztraminer that had a delightfully spicy tingle to the finish. We savored the wine’s musky-fruit sweetness with a Caesar salad with roasted garlic and smoked fresh mozzarella. Chris was the Captain of the galley for Course 3: Saffron-laced Risotto with shrimp. We opened a bottle of Cabernet to watch the “Risotto show.” Chris’s secret—you can’t leave the rice alone for a minute. Stir! Stir! Constantly stir! “Aggressive is better,” Chris advised. The perfect compliment for Risotto—Pinot Noir. The wine’s intense black cherry aroma was followed by a smooth velvety finish; it was like drinking silk. To cleanse the palate we enjoyed Course 4: a grapefruit sorbet which we turned into Greyhounds by adding champagne. Toasting with champagne, we felt almost as sophisticated as the sparkling wine. Is it possible to be both silly and sophisticated? Then—Dinner was served with classic Chardonnay. Course 5: Chicken stuffed with basil, proscuitto, and goat cheese roulade. The plate was garnished with roasted asparagus and drizzled with a reduction sauce that was so good it made me cry. Fresh fruit and berries was Course 6 and we topped it all off with decadent Course 7: Chocolate Mousse Cake served with an assertive port with a bit of brandy on the nose. Chris, when can we come over again? Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 4498    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Caitlyn and Cherie sip cocktails on deck as they await their 7-course meal served by chef Christopher. So that's what a $10-million dollar boat looks like? Are you sure you want Caitlyn at the helm? Chef Chris gives the ladies a tour of the yacht. Chris and Caitlyn. If Chris is in the kitchen, does that mean the ladies have to stay in the engine room? Cherie and Caitlyn. We just look small because we haven't eaten the 7-course meal yet. You mean those aren't the bar stools? Caitlyn and Chris. She's one big boat. We're flying! As soon as the sun sets, we retire to the bar. Thou shalt not whine; thou shalt drink wine. Jean and Caitlyn never whine in the company of such good wine. Our 7-course meal designed by Chris. *Photo by Jean. An interesting cocktail garnish. *Photo by Jean. Chris, why is there a mirror over our dinner table? *Photo by Jean. Cherie and Caitlyn by the bar. *Photo by Jean. The first course is an herb encrusted seared Ahi served with a lemon and shallot compote. Jean and Caitlyn with the Caesar salad with roasted garlic and smoked fresh mozzarella. Enjoy! This is only Course 2. Chris stretches and gets ready to prepare his signature dish--the risotto. While Chris tucks into the galley, the ladies play. Pucker up, baby. Cherie and Caitlyn relax and digest in the salon. *Photo by Jean. Who can guess what kind of bone that is? What's in this drawer? Cherie helps by stirring the reduction sauce. *Photo by Jean. You can already smell the saffron. *Photo by Jean. Add a few shrimps and Course 3 is served. *Photo by Jean. Chris presents his masterpiece: Saffron-laced Risotto with shrimp. Cheers! Course 4 is culinary art: Chicken stuffed with basil, proscuitto, and goat cheese roulade garnished with roasted asparagus. Cherie and Chris prepare to: Dig in! *Photo by Jean. Almost as fun as eating on the big boat, is squishing into the little boat for a concert! Cherie on edge. These aren't hippity hops? Jean! Caitlyn's gymnastic training pays off. Piled into the dinghy, we watch the concert. Cherie and Jean. See how easy it is to please us!