Verona18 at Copper Valley Went All Out
It is often stated a picture is worth a thousand words, but the pictures below are equal to a thousand bites! On New Years Eve the restaurant at the Copper Valley Golf Course, Verona18 located in Copperopolis provided an evening not soon to be forgotten.
Everyone was greeted with Champagne and many tasty appetizers were served. Each were spectacular and it was a fast start for the evening of culinary delight.
Scallops with Couscous
Crab cakes
Filet Skewers with Red Wine Balsamic
Caviar Waffle Sticks
Eggplant Involtini
I will dispense with a lot of wording but simply show the pictures with a description underneath each picture. Arriving in the Grandview Room was decorated and festive to start off the evening.
Just a few of the table decorations
The beginning of the evening with our table of eight which grew during the evening that only enhanced the many conversations.
I am only showing a portion of the food served as no one could possibly eat all the beautiful foods available in one seating! I approached the evening meal with strategic thinking of first hitting the iced seafood stations and then gathering some of the fish & shellfish. While eveyone brought wines to share, I choose to bring a 2013 Peter Michael Chardonnay, La Carriere.
From the Iced Station – huge shrimp, oysters on the half shell with a vinaigrette sauce and fresh baked sourdough bread.
From the warmed chafing dish, Chilean Sea Bass and Lobster Thermidor
Stone Crab Claws
Steamed mussels
Next up the strategy was to venture to the carving station to pick up beautifully cooked Chateaubriand slices. The wine chosen for this portion of the meal was a 2010 Larkmead Solari. Deep, rich and chewy. It could easily go another ten years.
Chateaubriand from the craving station horseradish sauce and Caprese Pasta salad
Desserts were varied and baked to perfection. they included Cheesecake Creme Brulee, Limoncello Mascarpone Cake and Chocolate Temptation.
Cheesecake Creme Brulee
We did enjoy some excellent wines brought by the original eight and as the evening grew others also brought wines to be enjoyed at the table. Here are two pictures of the wines enjoyed. Some were too bashful to get the picture taken!
So if this was not enough food, wine and Champagne to visualize, here are some of the items that pictures were not taken: Red wine mushroom sauce for the Chateaubriand, Paella with saffron risotto, scalloped potatoes, roasted root vegetables, scissored clams, sweet bread, focaccia bread, limoncello mascarpone cake, and Chocolate temptation.
Here is the table at the end of evening engaging in stimulating conversations!
Almost forgot to mention a great band played from 9 pm until after midnight called Zero Gravity featuring Kerry Tweedy.
A special thank you to Edwarda and Jaime Alderete, Edwarda Director of Food & Beverage and Jaime Executive Chef, for planning such a great evening. Also thank you to the entire staff for a job well done.
At the end of the evening, shortly after the mandatory Champagne toasting for well wishes, life is really about friendships, family and some occasional delicious wines and foods!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Sláinte,
Michael