Dinner with friends; Guinea pigs for a night

Baby Squid crostini with Sriracha mayonnaise, avocado and coconut caviar.

Be a guinea pig in exchange for dinner. That was the invitation my friend Jennifer Touchstone sent. Jennifer and Brandon (a classmate from culinary school) held a dinner Friday to try out 6 courses on several of us. We served as taste testers for a dinner the Touchstones may host later. Check out what we tried!


Mustard and dandelion greens with toasted almonds and fresh peas with a tahini, miso and maple syrup dressing.


Creamed corn amuse bouche with fresh fava beans and crispy bacon.


Agnolotti pasta filled with labne (strained yogurt) and peas with a crab cream sauce.


Porchetta, or pork slow-roasted over 10 hours, with a rhubarb sauce and pickled vegetables.


Baba (yeast cake) with macerated strawberries, mascarpone-honey icing and candied arugula.


One half of the cooking team.

Thanks for a great dinner. I'm stealing your candied arugula idea.