Showmanship

I wish I had had the forethought to take a video of the presentation of my sweet pea gazpacho, the first course I chose at Murray Circle. It was done with dramatic flourish and delightful showmanship.

First, the square bowl was placed in front of me. It contained a thin, round, frozen wafer of citrus juice underlaid by minced fresh peas and green garlic tucked underneath. Then, the waiter poured the cold fresh pea soup, lightly flavored with serrano chilis, over the wafer, partially melting it. I spooned up the soup by breaking through the tangy crust of OJ to scoop some of the peas and green garlic along with the crunchy citrus juice and velvety smooth soup. What a wonderful, lively combination they all made, as green as Ireland and as fresh as spring on the first day of summer.

Showmanship alone never floats my boat but when it accompanies a dish as sophisticated and well conceived as this one, it adds to the enjoyment of the experience. The beautiful day, the beautiful surroundings, the beautiful dish all added up to a memorable outing with My Beloved.