Mr. & Mrs. Hawthorne's Lunch Today.

Mr. Hawthorne and I had a lovely lunch today. We started out yesterday, with Mr. Hawthorne making a compound butter.

Here's the wonderful butter, softened, we bought from Yoder's Amish Market in Yanceyville, NC., last time we went to Danville, Va. I went to the herb garden and picked thyme, chives, and parsley.

Then I decided some shallots and garlic would not be amiss.

Chopped chives go in.

Mr. H. pulls off thyme leaves from the sprig by pulling backwards along stem.

Mr. H. chops the garlic, shallot, and parsley.

All herbs go into the butter.

Then a few drops of white wine. Next, we decided we'd make our own fries, pommes frites, if you will, according to the recipe provided by Anthony Bourdain in his Les Halles Cookbook.

First, Mr. Hawthorne peeled and sliced the potatoes.

He immediately put them in ice water.

After 30 minutes, the water was looking a bit cloudy, so I poured it out.

Rinsed the taters and returned them to another ice water bath and let them sit overnight in the fridge.

This is what's leftover in the bottom of the potato bowl. Starch.

The next day, I drained the potatoes, rinsed, and patted dry.

Now, I should have read the instructions in Bourdain's book, but Mr. Hawthorne was determined to do this himself. The instructions clearly said to use peanut oil. And lots of it. Mr. H. used vegetable oil and not enough of it.

Here's the process: First, blanch the fries for 6-8 minutes in 280-degree oil. Remove and spread evenly. Let rest for at least 15 minutes. Then bring the oil up to 375. Fry for 2-3 minutes, remove from oil, and season with salt. My take on this: I'll take the frozen Ore Ida Crinkled or Ore Ida Shoe Strings ANYDAY. Tony's were good. But not worth the trouble. Ok. I'll do it again. MYSELF. With Peanut oil. And my other pan. With much more oil.

Next, I started on my salad dressing.

From bottom left, continuing clockwise, I have 1/4 cup vegetable oil, then some chili/garlic sauce, Tamari soy sauce, sesame oil, seasoned rice vinegar, salt and pepper, toasted sesame seeds, sugar, and garlic.

Mix all together.

Now, my Maifun rice sticks.

Here's the video. Enjoy.

Here are the fried rice sticks.

Now, for my salad. I have iceberg lettuce, spinach, beansprouts, red onion, peanuts, toasted almonds, sliced cucumbers and snow peas.

Looking very good.

Our salads with the dressing awaiting. On my new TABLE!

Our new table. Calling us. "Come eat on me. Come eat."

Divine dressing going on.

Oops! Forgot the fried rice sticks. Oh my goodness. Click on that pic. Those rice sticks are bee-you-ti-ful.

Next up, the filet mignons.

Just season with salt and pepper.

Into a hot iron pan, with butter and olive oil, then some mushrooms.

Tong action going on.

The plated dish. Filet mignon, leftover slice of corn bread, mushrooms, corn on the cob with compound butter. Absolutely delicious.