Company Dinners

The other day, our family was invited to a friend's house for dinner. I like to have dinner at other peoples' houses from time to time, because there is always something different and new to try, there is never a lack of food, and it is always interesting and usually informative as well. It is especially good when the host is an excellent cook who has even published cookbooks. The other day our family enjoyed some new foods, the majority of which were German. As an appetizer, we had a sort of buckwheat pancake with some delicious smoked salmon, a slice of hard boiled egg for garnish, and some potent horseradish cream for taste. For the main course, I tried venison for the first time, which I wasn't even exactly sure what it was until the other day. I was a little bit skeptical, as I am not a big meat fan to begin with. This roast was bacon wrapped, and I am happy to report that I actually liked it more than I like roast beef! Accompanying the venison was gravy, delicious homemade cranberry sauce, red cabbage, and a homemade German egg noodle dish called "Spaetzle", which was quite good. Of course because I have such a sweet tooth, I always look forward to dessert the most. We had a German cheesecake, which was not as rich and creamy as the typical American cheesecakes I am used to, but still very good (this way you can eat a bigger piece). German cheesecakes are traditionally made with quark cheese, so that may be why. This cheesecake had a fruit in the batter, and a light dusting of icing sugar. It is pictured below. There was also two types of homemade beer, which I heard were also good, but I did not taste them myself. Overall, it was a very enjoyable meal with excellent company. I am looking forward to another company dinner. I enjoy being a host of company dinners as well, as then I am able to showcase my own culinary skills and go all out!