Cooking DInner for Children

Thursday June 24th 2004

When I found out our restauranteur friend (part owner of Bastille, Plouf, etc), was bringing his charming Dutch wife and their 3 daughters around for dinner I felt a slight panic. I had never really cooked for children before so this was a new challenge. What's more they were coming pretty early, so i would have little time after work to prepare anything exotic. Just as well, because kids don't like exotic! In the end I decide to make flakey pastry tarts using ready-made pastry. My brainwave was to have the girls "build their own" tarts. When they arrived everything was ready for them to assemble. Little bowls of different cheeses, French ham and tomato paste and fresh tomatoes. I think they had fun, especially when they topped the tart each with their own initial for easier identification after baking. I also won them over by putting food colouring in their 7Up. Kids, it seems, are easily impressed when their soda turns blue or pink!
There were two adult versions of the tarts for the grown ups, one with mustard, French ham, gruyere and emmental, the other with sundried tomato paste, olives, roasted peppers and tomatoes, goat cheese, mozarella and basil. The meal was served with a couple of salads. No left overs!
Our guests brought us dessert from another of the restaurants, they have an interest in, Chou Chou, Patisserie Artisanal & French Bistro on Twin Peaks. A huge pear and chocolate tart which we helped down with some freshly whipped cream. I meant to bring the rest to work today to share with my colleagues but I am not going to be popular with them because I completely forgot it...

Cooking DInner for Children