Before driving home on Sunday, we spent part of the day at our son's home, belatedly celebrating Matt's February 5th birthday. Emily, our future DIL, had decided to invite their friends to spend the day shopping and cooking with Matt; she had polled everyone back in January and based on responses, decided to have the party the first weekend in March. As it turned out for us, with the arrival of the grandbaby on February 6th and our decision to spend the first week of March in Sacramento, we were able to be there for the party.
The plan for the day was to gather at Matt's and Emily home in the early am, go to the farmer's market, then come home and cook together. Matt likes to cook for his friends, and it was a perfect way to celebrate his birthday. Emily wisely had planned out a menu, and done some shopping for basics earlier in the week. After a decade in the area (Matt went to UC Davis, 20 minutes from Sacramento), and the merging of their friends when they became a couple, the group included college friends, high school friends, some parents, and Matt's sister and brother-in-law, who live 3 blocks away with the new baby. For me, it was wonderful to see all these no-longer kids, almost no-longer 20-somethings who have been friends for a long time; plus I heard some interesting conversations, one about using Facebook, going on in the kitchen.
OK, so the Mangolini of the title. Think Bellini, without the peach juice and with a mango sorbet. Interesting?
There's a story: back at Slow Bowl in '07 some of us had gone to brunch at Artisan in Paso Robles on Super Bowl Sunday. We ordered Bellini's; the glasses came with the bubbly, but instead of peach juice in the winter, they were made with a small scoop of peach sorbet. I was retelling the story last week when the girls and I were talking about Mimosas for brunch, and I offered to make the Artisan Bellini. Shopping at Trader Joe's, I found mango sorbet and thus, we had the Mangolini.
David and I did not make it to the farmer's market as we were doing a last grandbaby visit, but we did get to Matt's just as they got back with some wonderful fruits and vegetables - we had some grilled veggies and polenta, and these beautiful strawberries:
and we had breakfast pizza:
Ryan and Leslie brought the chocolate fountain (one of their wedding presents), but it was Jen who knew how to set it up:
and finally the birthday boy blew out his candles on a waffle stack:
The parents had to drive back home, and I do not know how long this cook/eat fest went on, but it was a wonderful way to celebrate a brithday.
Comments (8)
Love the mangolini idea and the whole brunch looked like alot of fun. So happy you were there for this great celebration.
Posted by Barb Cabot | March 10, 2009 7:17 PM
Posted on March 10, 2009 19:17
Everything looks so delicious! I've never seen a breakfast pizza before. Love the Mangolini idea - I'm going to get some mango sorbet next time I'm at TJs and give it a try.
Posted by Annie | March 11, 2009 7:16 AM
Posted on March 11, 2009 07:16
When I read the title of the entry I thought that you had gone to an Italian restaurant for brunch. I love Bellinis and love mangoes. I will try a mangolini soon. Sounds like a great and unique way to celebrate a birthday.
Posted by María I. | March 11, 2009 9:54 AM
Posted on March 11, 2009 09:54
Yumm on the mangolini treat! I love mangoes so this is a must try idea. And breakfast pizza also sounds delish... Marcia, you are just a wealth of delicious ideas on this blog! Thank you!
Whisper (Shhh, I thought Mangolini was somebody's last name... LOL0
Posted by Eden | March 11, 2009 1:41 PM
Posted on March 11, 2009 13:41
Like Maria, I thought Mangolini was a restaurant! It sounds like a delicious drink!
And the breakfast pizza is to die for - what all was on it?
Posted by nancyhol | March 11, 2009 9:51 PM
Posted on March 11, 2009 21:51
A perfect combo! LOVE the word "Mangolini". My ex-husband used to call everything I cooked "INI food" ...fettuccini, tortellini, linguini, etc.
Pizza looks great too!
Posted by Palma | March 12, 2009 9:47 AM
Posted on March 12, 2009 09:47
I did not see the pizza go into the oven, but I believe it was a layer of scrambled eggs, then topped with smoked salmon, cheese, diced red onions, and some chopped scallions as a garnish. I should ask Matt.
Posted by Marcia | March 12, 2009 9:57 AM
Posted on March 12, 2009 09:57
Wow Marcia. This is a great birthday celebration. I love the look of the pizza, and the chocolate fountain, and the Mangolini is very interesting.
Posted by candi | March 12, 2009 8:14 PM
Posted on March 12, 2009 20:14