Venus in Venice: The Goddess of Love's Dinner Party

"I thought it seemed a little warm in here." Liberty says to BBB as she hands her wrap to reveal not-so-simple black. "Gee, what's all that noise?"

"It's either the dancing girls or the elephants." Bee smiles as she walks toward the coat room.

"Oh goody, our hostess is finally going to join us!" Lib says as she wonders how things are going in the kitchen -- maybe Cav needs another opinion on how it tastes before presenting it to the Goddess of Love?

A handsome slave refilled her glass of champagne as she moved toward the kitchen to attempt a little grazing, or at least to surround herself with the unbelievable aroma of the feast.

BumbleBeeBoogie's Fregola Pasta Salad recipe
BumbleBeeBoogie is fluttering around Cav's kitchen sniffing and tasting tiny samples of the glorious repast he is preparing for the Goddess of Love.

BBB asked Cav if he'd ever made Fregola Salad. No response from the busy chef, who was chopping, stirring and tasting his creations.

BBB persisted with her passion for Fregola Salad. Its hard to find Fregola pasta in the United States. If I can't find it locally, I have to order it from Italy.

Cav remained focused on his tasks. "Fregola?"

Hah! now BBB had his attention. "Fregola is a Sardinian specialty which is thought to be an ancestor of modern pasta.

"Sardinian?"

"Yes, replied BBB. It consists of small, chewy balls made from coarsely ground semolina. It can be used as a bed for sauces, but it's also terrific in soups. I like it best in a salad I make."

"Sounds interesting."

BBB, continued, "Fregare means 'to rub,' and fregola pasta is made by rubbing coarse semolina pasta and water together to create crumbs. The crumbs are then toasted, which imparts a rich, earthy flavor to the pasta. The pasta is cooked a little like rice, with an excessive amount of water that is allowed to evaporate during the cooking process."

"When I haven't got Fregola in my pantry, I can substitute Acini de Pepe. If you want to order Fregola, try this site":

http://www.agferrari.com/index.php/item/department/Pasta/item/3307.html

"I've seen that in U.S. Italian delicatessens." Cav asked, "What are the ingredients?"

I can do better than that," offered BBB, I'll write down the ingredients for you."

BBB grabbed a pen and paper and began writing:

FREGOLA PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS

Fregola pasta, cooked
sweet or red fresh onions, peeled
bottle of small capers
diced ripe tomatos
pine nuts
Greek catalama olives, pitted
Extra Virgin olive oil
Italian flat parsley, chopped

"What are the proportions," Cav asked.

"I don't have any." shrugged BBB, "I just add them in proportion to the amount of Fregola I have."

"You just wing it?"

"Sure, a good cook like you will know the best way to combine everything."

"Thanks, BBB, I will have to get some Fregola and try it sometime."

"Your very welcome, Cav." BBB looked around the kitchen to find someone else to pester---and to do some more tasting.

rrrrrring! (intercom in kitchen)

Cav picks up the phone. It is Eva. "How's it coming? Did that handsome Vincenzo and whatzername ever get back with the truffles? They did? Oh, good. And the chocolate? It's here? Good. How about the ice?.....You know, the ice for the ice sculptures. Did it arrive yet? Oh, good. Now remember, I want one of those sculptures for the champagne pool. That's right, floating in the pool. Yes, yes, I know it will be a little chilly for the swimmers, but they won't mind. It might get a little warm around here later on...(giggle)"

Eva hangs up, then rings back.

"Be sure to ring me when the first course is ready to be served. I'll make my entrance then."

Gustav stepped out of the champagne pool. Reaching to his side, he ripped one of the golden drapes from the nearest window and began to dry himself. The pustular surface of Gus's skin quickly reduced the drapes to shred. Gus tossed the drapes to the side and caught his reflection in the window glass. Alabaster skin clung to the gnarled bones; teeth protruded like a broken picket fence; corkscrew hair that grew in patches; and eyes as red as the Japanese Sun. You're looking good, Gus thought.... damn good!

Gus reached for his robe and put it one. In one of the pockets he found what he was looking for -- a small leather bag containing a most delicious snack.

Earlier, Gus had heard BBB and Cav talking about "...small chewy balls made from coarsely ground semolina."

Gus wasn't the smartest guy in the world, but smart enough to know that "semolina" must be Italian for "rat". He popped on of the rat testicles into his mouth and began to chew. They're right, these things are tasty, he thought.

As he chewed on the rodent oysters, Gus walked around the place, looking for Eva.

She had promised him a job ringing the bell in her bell tower. The pay wasn't great, but Gus didn't really need the money -- just a place to hang his hat for a bit.

He heard Eva's voice ringing from the ballroom.

She would be so delighted to see him.

Chef thought that indulging BBB would simply make her leave my kitchen so dinner could be prepared on time...However, Roberto, the sous-chef, was quite intrigued by BBB's spontaneous recipe....

Osso is sitting on a stool in the corner of the kitchen watching all this. She has listened about the fregola and checked to confirm she has the Ferrari site on her favorites list. Well, there are two Ferrari sites, the other one for her car, over in Torino. And the Ferrara site, but never mind.
She is concerned about the champagne pool, is very worried about bubble loss. Maybe the bubbles can be recirculated as soon as they effervesce, she will look into it on her brand new travel laptop.

Love in the mist, it could be happening with those Cavalier spaniels too. Truffles, you know....so aphrodisiacal, sigh.

Roberto spies BBB hovering around the kitchen...

"I hear you cook."
"Yes, very well."
"Chef, sometimes, he hard on people, no let them get ahead."
"Really....."
"Jes, believe me, I know. I am sous chef, yet humble servant as well."
"I feel for you...."
"Perhaps we cook together sometime?"

The setting sun was indeed spectacular as the hors d'oeuvres went into preparation....

There is a veritable traffic jam of gondolas in the canal outside Eva's palace. The ancient copper doors have been thrown open, and the party is in full swing. The palace is filled with guests. And what guests they are!

Ladies in ivory silk, crimson velvet, revealing black lace. Gentlemen in tuxes, Carnevale masks and the occasional loincloth. Jewels abound. Except for the solitary hunched-over figure by the kitchen door, everyone is a vision of decadence.

BBB rings Eva's upstairs intercom station from the kitchen office, where she and Roberto have been assisting Cav with the hors d'oeuvres.

"Eva, there is a ghastly monster down here, insisting you have promised him a job. He says he's not leaving until you talk to him."

"WHAT!?" Eva screams. A ghastly monster...she must think quickly. The grand entrance procession is almost ready to begin. "How much does the beast want?"

Gustavratzenhofer grabs the phone out of BBB's hands. "Look, lady, you promised me a job ringing the bells in your tower, and I ain't leavin' 'til I get it. Ya hear?"

"Oh yes, I remember," Eva said, her voice smooth but her mind in a panic. "Bells. Yes, bells would be the perfect addition to this party. Go back outside and use the bell tower entrance on the northeast corner of the grounds. You'll find quarters there, fully stocked with food and wine. At precisely 8 p.m., you must begin ringing. And you must keep ringing for exactly one hour. Do you understand?"

"Uh, yeah. I can do that. Oh...how much does this job pay?" the monster asks, frowning.

"All you can eat, free rent, custom uniforms, and a company gondola."

This was MUCH better than Gus had expected.

Meanwhile, on the white sand of the volleyball court, Eva comes to the realization that she is in love with Cav. Oh sure, it started innocently enough -- invite the world renown chef over for a party, take advantage of his culinary skills, and then discard him like yesterday's newspaper.

But something clicked. Eva implores Cav to follow her to the boudoir, but Cav respectfully declines.

"My dear Eva" he says, "I have but one love, and that is my skillet; all others are insignificant."

Eve continues to plead....

How does Gus know this? There is much intrigue afoot and on boats in Venice you know. All is not as it seems. Um, the water is rising.

But of course, Eva knows Cav will capitulate sooner or later. No man has ever resisted the Goddess's charms for long. A long list of lovers fills Eva's past...and future. But tonight! Tonight is surely the perfect night for love. And there are SO many interesting gentlemen here! Eva craves excitement, and the possibilities within this group quicken her pulse.

Eva stands at the balcony railing and looks down at the crowd in the ballroom below. She breathes a little sigh of contentment and smiles. So many men, so little time...

The seafood is cooked and cooled....a tiny dice of clams, mussels and delicate calamari are tossed with the miso dressing, snipped chives and placed back in the little shells...crushed ice, Vincenzo, fetch it for the platters!

Out of curiousity Mr. Cav decided to check up on Eva who stood over the balcony. They exchanged a few words and made their way into the billard room to have more of a private discussion about the menu and the strange encounter with Eva that Mr. Cav had. Suddenly they stepped into the billard room and Eva turned on the lights! As soon as she made her way to the back of the pool table, she happened to trip over the drunken red who just woke up from a drunken stupor and happened to get lost in the large venetian palace!

sumac glides up with great superfluidity and makes figure eights in the canal, all the while getting hungrier and hungrier.

"Hey, y'all, how about tossing me about 100 portions of that seafood? You can forget about the dressing, seasoning, and shells. Just heave away."

The mini phyllo shells are done, and being filled with the finest chevre, and topped with herb-marinated roasted red peppers from the garden...

Cav
Cav, who produced the Chevre you are using?

My Chevre heroine is Laurel Chenel in Sonoma County, California. This woman almost invented California chevre back in the seventies. Her goat cheeses were featured by Alice Waters in her then new restaurant, Chez Panisse.

Besides the great plain fresh chevre she makes, there is also a newer, aged goat cheese which she calls Taupiniere (``mole-hill" in French). Delicious and flaky with a bloomy rind, it is an ideal crumbly cheese for salads.

---BumbleBeeBoogie

Eva tosses aside dresses as though they were wilted lettuce. Gold lame? No. Too garish. Cluny lace? No. Too virginal. Vermilion silk? No. Too Oriental...

Clarienne Boniface is in a snit. Seventeen dresses he has designed, but none will suit the Goddess.

Eva
BBB left the kitchen to go upstairs to Eva's boudoir to see what is delaying her grand entrance. BBB was discomforted to find elegant gowns strewn over the bed, every chair, even the floor. Eva was pacing up and down mumbling to herself. She turned to BBB and asked "What shall I wear that will bring Cav to me?"

"Eva," advised BBB, "if you are serious about seducing Cav (after he finishes preparing all of the food, of course) I think you should forget Clarienne Boniface's dresses, which are not suited for your purpose. Why don't you make your grand entrance in a Gownless Evening Strap? But don't do it while Cav has a platter in his hands or you will have a mess on your wool and silk carpets. Your elegant curves will leave Cav's body limp (except for one spot, of course.)"

BBB led Eva to her golden framed floor mirror and removed her robe. "If you feel you must have some body adornment in addition to the strap, you might fold a gossamer silk sari fabric over your shoulders and let it trail you down the stairs as you descend in your golden 4-inch spike heels."

Huuumm, murmered Eva, admiring her body and visualizing such a grand entrance. A smile appeared on her lovely face as she turned and gave BBB a hug. BBB winked in return.

---BumbleBeeBoogie

Hey, I'm still out here, ya know. Stop blathering about clothes (who needs them anyway?) and throw me some grub!

Sumac
BBB grew annoyed with the racket Sumac was making in the canal and implored Gustav to take a fishing pole from the shed and hook that pesky dolphin. Maybe Cav will find some way to entertain her provided she's not too small and must be thrown back in the water.

But Sumac may be pretty smart under all those scales. In fact, Sumac may be smarter than some of the party guests.

Gustav hurries outside to the canal landing to see what he can catch. What fun!

---BumbleBeeBoogie