The Best of Geekquinox...For Now

It was the best of times, it was the...well, actually it was simply the best of times. On Saturday night Pete once again treated us to another Geekquinox feast to celebrate the autumnal equinox. Unlike previous Geekquinoxes, this dinner didn't follow a specific theme; instead, it was a "Best of" compilation, with appetizers, entrees and dessert chosen by popular vote. Here, Jeff serves Pete one of the winning appetizers, a Hamachi shot. Served cold in a clear tumbler, the Hamachi shot is composed of...well, I'm not entirely sure, other than there's fish in it, and peppers, and some green stuff, and delicious sauce. They went fast.

Jeff, Steve, Audrey and Mike relax as a late summer storm brews overhead.

The Hamachi shots are real crowd-pleasers.

Hidden behind a row of Hamchi shots are ABTs (Atomic Buffalo Treats). Pete is applying raspberry sauce to them.

Atomic Buffalo Treats combine bacon, sausage, cream cheese, jalapenos and raspberry sauce. They are superb. I downed half a dozen, much to the chagrin to my gastrointestinal tract. But my taste buds won that argument.

This is as close as we came to a group photo this time around. Frankly, I was too busy enjoying the food to take as many photos as usual.

At right, a plate of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus awaits cooking in the big green egg.

The finished product. As Steve said, "If all my vegetables came wrapped in bacon and cream cheese, I'd eat a lot more of them."

Pete charred sweet bell peppers, a vital component of the entree. 

This delicious spicy chicken will fill those peppers.

Pete pushes poulet into pepper.

Pete's hands, covered in batter, ready to slather the delicious goop onto the exterior of the peppers.

Heather and Mike eagerly await the chicken-stuffed peppers. Ellen prepared her popular lime margaritas (available full-strength or extra-virgin), a refreshing antidote to the heat of the entree (and the appetizers, for that matter).

Almost everything is better deep-fried. Well, maybe if you only eat this way once every six months...

Served in butter sauce, naturally.

Steve digs in. Try as I might, I could not finish my delicious chicken relleno. I managed to eat about 80 percent of it, and every bite was utterly scrumptious.

Ellen was a gracious hostess once again, ably assisting Pete while entertaining the guests.

Salty! 

Once again Pete put together a dinner that left his friends stuffed not only with magnificent food, but full to bursting with the heady wine of good fellowship. A toast to the chef!