Over the Memorial Day weekend, we enjoyed an early (6 p.m.) dinner at Spur Gastropub with our good friends Marcella and Harvey Rosene. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the energetic couple are the founders of Pasta & Co. and Marcella has written several Pasta & Co. cookbooks in addition to co-editing the IACP-nominated cookbook, Cooking with Les Dames d’Escoffier (Sasquatch Books, 2009) in which my recipe for Salmon Baked in Grape-Leaf Packets, is featured.

We began with a glass of Brut Rosé for me, Pinot Noir for Spencer, and cocktails for the Rosenes. Sockeye Salmon Crostini with Caper Berries, Mascarpone, and Pickled Shallots paired perfectly with these choices, as did the Yakima Asparagus with a frizzle of fried onion, onion hollandaise, and a pouf of miners lettuce on top. We kept up the Rosé theme by ordering a bottle of the deeply colored, richly flavored Waters Winery 2007 Rosé–summer in a bottle!

Even the Baby Lettuces with Speck, Toasted Almonds, and Sherry Vinaigrette were tasty and perfect.

 Sous Vide Alaskan Halibut, my favorite Tagliatelle with Duck Egg, a gargantuan Bison Burger with shoestring potatoes, and Lamb Saddle formed our entrées. 

Salted Hazelnut Ice Cream showed the interesting interplay of sweet and salty, while Soft Chocolate Cake lived up to its name, and Lime Sponge Cake with Rhubarb was seasonally appropriate–all sweet ways to end a meal that saluted the start of summer!