Gnocchi Field Trip

The kitchen is still completely ruined from the party. So I went out to eat. I felt like Italian, the closest is ernesto's but if you walk one more block you'll probably pass by Mescolanza without noticing it. Well I had a mental note of it, so this is where I wanted to go. It's over priced, and I thought our server acted too much like a butler, it's weird for me to judge service though. Free Port with dessert... no complaints.

I ended up having:

roasted polenta with assorted seasonal mushrooms

it's polenta, i love polenta. i wasn't impressed with the selection of mushrooms, and i'd rather have had it grilled. it was good still.

Gnocchi Spinaci, spinach dumpling, creamy tomato sauce

seems like they just mixed spinach into the dough and made a simple sauce with italian plum tomatoes, olive oil and parmesean. i got a full plate of them. they were yummy i ate every one.

anyway this was dual purpose order... i want to make some soon, i wanted a reminder of how it's supposed to be and portion size. i don't know if i can get the ingredients for what i want to do anyway. when i had gnocchi in napa they seared each one, which made it kinda crisp. but thats the same deal with polenta being roasted vs grilled... i just like a bit more crunch.

so the floral dinner i want to make is going to go like this.

• mesclun with variety of edible flowers, poppy seed dressing
  
• grilled gnocchi with a nasturtium butter sauce
• angel food cake with rosewater and jasamine scented white tea and lavender honey ice cream

get some nice bread of course. if i can't find nasturtium i could re-do that saffron butter sauce from greens.

the issue is that it's still too much milk fat and sugar... i have to cook maybe 2 healthier meals before letting myself have this one. just a thought. the salad would be good. i've never made gnocchi before... the sauce and mushrooms are things that i like but i don't know if it all combines... tea honey and cream, its very likely the ice cream will work.

its fun to experiment. i wonder if its going to be gross, i kinda want to invite guests.