Steak au Poivre

I swear we are the luckiest people in the world because of the amazing friends we have. One of my best friends of over 30 years (yes, we have literally known each other since birth) recently moved here with her fiancé. I'm sad that they didn't move right next door to my house, but I am happy to have them within driving distance. How did they entice me to leave my bubble and make my way over there? Food of course! I'm kidding, I love Amy to death and would drive far out to the burbs for her any day and for no reason at all. But last night she definitely outdid herself, cooking us the most mouthwatering and heavenly dinner I've had in a while, and serving the best wines from their stash. What a treat!


We started out with a delightful cheese plate of parm, brie, prosciutto and fresh figues.


Moments later, a yummy Caprese salad was staring us in the face. We quickly devoured each tomato in anticipation of our main course that we could smell grilling on the barbecue.


While Andrew took care of the meat, I went inside where all the action was. Amy was making what was soon to be one of the best sauces I've ever had, flambé style! She had never flambé'd before but did it like a pro. I'd never even venture down that path for fear of burning my house down.


The final product was well worth the effort. A succulent steak, so tender and juicy topped with a spicy peppercorn and mushroom sauce. Every single bite was a taste of heaven and went beautifully with the thin asparagus shoots and potatoes that layed beside it.


As if all that wasn't enough, a light and chocolatey mousse made it's way to my tummy with a silky espresso.


Last, but definitely not least, the trio of wines we had the honour of tasting was to die for. When they drove to Ottawa from out West, Amy and Andrew passed through some wonderful vineyards. One of their stops was at the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery. We enjoyed every second of this oaky 2006 Meritage. If you're ever in that area of the country, this vineyard is sure to impress. It's the second bottle I've had of theirs and it does not disappoint. They also shared another delicious wine – 2005 Merlot from Hester Creek. And the Portuguese one I brought (originally given to me from my friend Donnie) was also quite lovely, 2007 Duas Quintas, Ramos Pinto.

Thanks so much guys for the memorable evening. If you keep that up, you may find me over more than you want!