Rim Jobs

Because we haven’t executed a full blown Cocktail Time, Liz and I decided to host tonight’s cocktail time for a few friends. We started the evening with Fried Mozzarella Nuggets paired exquisitely with the Tall, Dark and Handsome Cocktail. I have been excited for the Fried Mozzarella Nuggets the first time I actively searched through foodnetwork for recipes that wouldn't kill us. The Fried Mozzarella Nuggets (the name alone should inspire fear) are made with sting cheese sticks(cut into thirds) that are then rolled in flour, then egg, then Italian seasoned bread crumbs and fried until brown. String cheese! That processed fake cheese that everyone enjoys as a child and inexplicably shreds into perfect strings! I coudn't believe she used this. But (as much as I hate to admit this) these were actually tasty. On the downside, they were impossible to cook. Without fail, within 30 seconds of frying (regardless of the temperature because I tested tons) the crust was not yet golden, but the cheese instantly stared to ooze out. So they were good, but uber difficult to make. The Tall Dark and Handsome cocktail is 2 shots of vanilla vodka shaken with half a shot of each Coffee and Chocolate Liqueur. Our drink was not clear like Aunt Sandys (they look nothing alike, but then again we used milky godiva liqueur whereas she probably used whatever was in that week's bargain bin), but it would definitely get her boozy mark of approval. Two sips in and it we all felt it’s horrible astringent aftertaste. And....

half a drink in (mind you we each split one, so ¼ of the drink in) we all exclaimed how hot it felt in my apartment. Liz declared the cocoa rim created distasteful clumps in her mouth; whereas, Lindsay, after finishing her drink declared, “I loved that rim- I’m going to f*$!'n lick Jillian’s rim!” So rimming isn’t for everyone. But whether we like the rim or not, no one really wanted seconds.

Instead, we opened a bottle of wine for the next course- Shrimp in Spicy Coconut Sauce. Precooked shrimp are sautéed in garlic, coconut milk, red pepper flakes, soy sauce and chicken broth. I have a feeling the sauce was supposed to cook down, but simmering for the designated 5 minutes did not produce a ‘sauce’ consistency. Everyone in our group enjoyed it, but determined it was more like a soup than sauce. It would be delicious over jasmine rice, but Aunt Sandy didn’t recommend it so we didn't know.

So far (unbelievably) our Cocktail Time was succeeding! How did we manage to get 2 decent food recipes?! They were so successful that we all slurped up the shrimpy coconut broth and my sister couldn’t believe the rating for the nuggets on foodnetwork were only 4 out of 5 stars! What was going on here?! Even Liz (the pickiest person ever) ate everything on her plate…which is really saying something. Something in the dessert just had to fail….right?*

*must continue dessert portion at later date due to an early bus ride to Manhattan tomorrow morning....I know, you are all waiting with baited breath at whether the dessert would be a success or not.