Menu Planning: Baby Birthday Bash

Previously, our fall pairing dinner was an adult-only feast turned drunk fest that lasted late into the evening. (With 10-12 guests) This year's fall feast was a little different than the past.  This year we celebrated the first birthday of #babycapcook with 35 adults and 10 baby friends. 

We feasted on pork shoulder, sausage, California figs, doughnuts and cake! Early fall is the perfect time to BBQ. We slow roasted a tender and juicy pork shoulder. We grilled up a variety of Logan’s Sausages. We tossed some California Figs with JD Gourmet’s Fig Balsamic and topped it with prosciutto, mint and melon.  Planning for such a large crowd takes a bit more work, but everything turned out well.

Dinner was followed by dancing and #babycapcook rocked to her favorite song by Justin Beiber, "Where are you now."

Dinner Menu:

Roasted Pork Shoulder 

Logan's Sausages:  Chorizo, Turkey and Sage and Mild Italian

Mac 'n Cheese

Spinach Salad with Gouda, Peas and Pine Nuts

Fig and Prosciutto Salad

Filipino Lumpia

We were so excited to grill up Logan's Sausages for everyone.  Logan's Sausage Company has been making specialty sausages in the DC area for almost 30 years and they are the best!  Everyone loved them.  I really like their Argentinean Chorizo.

I can't have a party without California figs.  Not only are the healthy, but they taste delicious.  I love topping the with JD Gourmet's Fig Balsamic.  Add a little prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, and watermelon, and you've got yourself a heavenly salad.

Dessert:

Of course we had to have birthday cake, but I wanted a special treat as well.  

District Doughnuts actually shares the same birthday as #babycapcook so I thought it would be awesome to serve four dozen mini-doughnuts for the guests to enjoy.  Smiles all around when the doughnuts were delivered.  Happy Anniversary, District Doughnut!

Pairings:

I like to give guests the option of wine, beer and a signature cocktail at all parties.

Beer:

We are huge fans of Boulevard Beer.  Being from Missouri, I love to sip my home-state beverages. We thought their new Calling IPA, 80-Acre Wheat and Tank 7 (my fav) would fit the bill.

Boulevard: 80 Acre is our take on blending the styles of American wheat beers & IPAs. Clean, refreshing, & very appealing to fans of either or both aforementioned styles. 80-Acre goes great with the fig salad.  5.5%ABV

A dry-hopped Farmhouse Saison with a beguiling 8.5%ABV, Tank 7 is almost perfect for any meal. Nice citrus & floral notes, as well as omnipresent Belgian yeasts, but nothing that overpowers a dish or the beer itself.

Wine:

Wild Horse GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) and Franciscan Cabernet

I love a California red.  These ones were excellent with the meal.

We didn't do a special punch for the babies because most of them are still strictly on water and milk.

The cocktail is always a huge hit for the adults.  This year I made Fig Sangria.

Sherry:

Leonor is amber color with golden tones.  You’ll find intense nutty aromas of toasted almonds and hazelnuts.  Delicious with sausage.

Solera 1847 is dark and intense mahogany color.  You’ll find aromas of raisins, vanilla and wood.  This is a velvety Sherry with notes of figs and caramel.  Works well with dessert… like doughnuts!

Nectar is one of my favs!  This Sherry is perfect with dessert and provides a lovely long finish.

Decorations:

I kept it pretty simple with pink and white streamers, birthday confetti, helium balloons (from Harris Teeter) and a personalized sign from Etsy.

Party Favors:

When Daddy works for POTUS, you must have M&Ms and Hershey Kisses signed by Mr. Obama himself.  The kids and adults loved them.

Fashion:

#babycapcook wore her angelic attire from Etsy.

It was a night to remember and we can't wait to do it all over again next year.