The big dinner - initial plans.

Chicago.

The cooking bug bit this weekend, and I think it bit me pretty bad.¹ On the heels of the elegant and excellent meal by the Underground Food Collective, I've had a hankering to do something fancy. Something that tests the limits of my capabilities. That raises the bar for the most impressive² meal I've ever made. That teeters on that edge of outright craziness.

I think the current standard-bearer was the wine party my folks threw for their friends' anniversary. Though the memories are a little fuzzy, I believe it was six courses with matched wines - courtesy of Scott, now a professional sommelier. He deals with this sort of thing every day; for me, it's a bit more abstract.

But not entirely. The Priskes have offered up the use of their kitchen, so those of us who decide to spend the night can have the run of the place.³ And, given the quantity of alcohol we'll be consuming, that's probably wise.

I pieced together a preliminary menu this past weekend, just to see how far I thought I could push it. Since things could change at any point, I intend to keep the whole thing a secret until the first course is served, but it's looking like an eleven-course meal. Four of those are amuses-bouche - something small, with lots of flavor, but not enough to fill you up. That said, it could change in all sorts of ways. It depends on what's available at the market then - early September - and whether or not some of my more unusual ideas pan out. Most of the planned courses, at this point, revolve around minimizing the total amount of kitchen time during the meal. I won't have enough free time to sit down at the table for every course, but I should be able to do so about half the time. Maybe more, and for a dinner that'll be at least three hours long, that's something.

That's often a limiting factor when throwing a dinner party. It's a social occasion, an excuse to have some friends over, and the last thing anyone needs is to be trapped at the stove. We usually serve everything family-style, and it's just a lot less complicated. Toss some burgers and sausages on the grill, open up a few beers, and everyone's happy. It certainly worked for Memorial Day.

Even so, every great once in a while I'd like to do something over the top. Unusual flavor combinations? New textures (for a homemade dinner, at least)? Course after course after course? With matching beverages? Hell yes.

Up next in the planning process: the budget. How much of the cost can I take on - labor's free, at least - without crumpling? My hunch is that alcohol's going to be the killer. Asking everybody to pony up some cash - maybe $30 a person, suggested but not necessary - is something I haven't had to do before.

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¹This is in contrast to the actual biting insects, which went after the backs of my knees.

²Not to be confused with "best." It might be the best I've ever done, but I'm not aiming for that. If it happens that way, it happens that way.

³John and Dorothy will be invited, as well. I can't imagine throwing a dinner party in their house and not having them. Besides, I'll be making an unbelievable mess in the kitchen, so it's only fair.